Community Housing Board
Members
Kenneth Belfer, Chair
Maura Gregory
Sonia Idelsohn
Michael Mattone
Jude Smith
Sarah Wilson
Town Board Liaison: Councilman Sergio Esposito
The Yorktown Community Housing Board is a seven member advisory board with members appointed by the Town Board to five year terms.
The Community Housing Board reviews the diversity of housing in the Town of Yorktown, focusing on needs that the current housing market is failing to meet. The Board also looks at resources available to assist Yorktown residents with housing-related needs, and advises the Town Board on housing policy issues.
A goal of the Town of Yorktown is to provide balanced and varied housing opportunities, so that residents may find appropriate housing throughout their lives within the Town of Yorktown.
The Yorktown Town Board established an affordable housing program in 1988, resulting in the creation of what are referred to as "Affordable Housing Units". These units are contained in developments constructed by private developers. Under deed restrictions entered into by the developers, the designated "Affordable Housing Units" are sold or rented at affordable prices to enable qualifying households to obtain the units. Thirteen Yorktown Affordable Housing Units were created between 1988 and 1996. Subsequent to that date, the Town of Yorktown discontinued requiring new developments to include Affordable Housing Units, contribute land, or make a contribution to the Town’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund. Therefore, there are no new units currently in the pipeline, and the existing units in the program only become available when the current occupants leave. The Community Housing Board carries out the administrative responsibilities of the program, including the maintenance of a waiting list. Applicants offered the opportunity to purchase units are responsible for obtaining their own financing.
Yorktown's Affordable Housing Trust Fund has a balance of approximately $400,000. The funds have been used to purchase homes for resale to program applicants; to "buy down" purchase prices, to cover expenses of the affordable housing program, and in the past supported planning fees and costs associated with a town/county planning study for a 400 acre site. The funds do not include any tax dollars. They came primarily from monetary contributions made by developers in lieu of providing affordable housing in their developments.
Upon recommendations by the Community Housing Board, the Town Board established eligibility criteria for households for the Affordable Housing Units. To be eligible for the homeownership units in 2021, the total household income for a family of three persons could not exceed $91,800 (80% of Westchester County Area Median Income). Using income limits by household size to determine eligibility, applicants are then ranked either by a lottery or by the date and time of receipt of their application, promoting Equal Housing Opportunity.
Since the housing made available under this program is priced lower than would otherwise be available, there are certain restrictions. Households who purchase an affordable unit may continue to live in that unit as long as they wish without regard to future changes in their household or income. However, there are certain restrictions on leases, transfers of ownership and resale prices, and the units must be used as their primary residence.
