Fair and Affordable Housing

A forum on the controversial housing settlement agreement between Westchester County and the federal Housing and Urban Development agency and its impact on local communities will be held at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 29, at Justice Court, Bedford Town House, 321 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills. (Snow date is March 7.)

     The program, "Everything You Want to Know about Fair and Affordable Housing: Who's Involved? Why Here? Why Now?" is co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Westchester and the LWV of Bedford, Lewisboro, North Salem and will feature a panel of key players on the local, regional and national levels. The forum will be open to the public free of charge. 

     The panel represents a broad spectrum of those currently involved, including the county government, HUD, local leaders, builders of affordable housing and the court-appointed monitor. At issue are plans to carry out an agreement between HUD and the county to build 750 units of fair and affordable housing in 31 communities identified as having little or no minority representation.

     Bedford Town Supervisor Lee V. A. Roberts will introduce the program. Panelists will include:

     * James E. Johnson, federal housing monitor

     * Janet Hostetler, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

     * Mary Mahon, special assistant to Westchester County Executive Astorino

     * Norma Drummond, deputy commissioner, Westchester Planning Department

     * Thomas McGrath, chairman, Blue Mountain Housing Development Corporation

     * William G. Balter, Wilder Balter Partners Inc.

     Peter B. Harckham, county legislator, second district, will moderate the forum.

     Following their presentations, panelists will welcome questions from the audience. 

     For information, call 914-232-5735 or e-mail lwv.blns@gmail.com. Directions are available at the League of Women Voters website. https://sites.google.com/site/lwvblns/news. Parking is available on site and across the road at 425 Cherry Street.