NEWSROOM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Bill O’Reilly, 914-619-5252

 

Astorino calls for public hearings on controversial Spano housing plan

 

White Plains, NY-August 20...Westchester County Executive candidate Rob Astorino (R-I), who is running for office to reduce taxes, streamline government services, and make Westchester County government more transparent and accountable to the public, today called on County Executive Andy Spano and the Westchester County Board of Legislators to hold public hearings around Westchester County on a controversial $62.5 million housing plan that will require Westchester taxpayers to build 750 below-market-rate homes in Westchester communities.

The Spano housing plan--which is being legally forced on the county because the Spano administration was caught mismanaging tens of millions of dollars and making false certifications to the federal government--must be approved by the County Board of Legislators by September 24th. Mr. Spano is reportedly urging the Board to vote on his controversial plan as soon as possible--without public notice or input.

"Mr. Spano called this the most important vote in Westchester County history, yet he doesn't want public input on it," Mr. Astorino said. "That is really disappointing. Westchester residents need to know exactly what happened to put us in this situation and what this court settlement entails. They need to know where these homes are going; how much they will really cost taxpayers; how many additional school seats will be needed in each community; which towns will be affected; who will pay the property taxes for these homes; what developers will build them; what the homes will look like; how local zoning laws will be affected--the list of questions goes on and on..."

Mr. Astorino said hearings should be held in each municipality slated to receive below-market-rate housing, which would be marketed by court order in low-income areas outside the County. According to the Department of Planning, municipalities targeted to receive housing include Ardsley, Bedford, Briarcliff Manor, Bronxville, Buchanan, Eastchester, Hastings-on-Hudson, Harrison, Irvington, Larchmont, Lewisboro, Mount Pleasant, Mamaroneck, New Castle, North Castle, North Salem, Pelham Manor, Pleasantville, Pound Ridge, Rye Brook, City of Rye, Somers, Scarsdale, and Yorktown.

The Spano Administration was sued by the Anti-Discrimination Center under the federal "False Claims Act" for mismanaging funds and falsifying certification records on federal housing and other grants.