Press Release.
Posted by: wielandheusler on: November 27, 2009
WESTCHESTER COUNTY LEGISLATORS CHAIRMAN RYAN LED DELEGATION TO MEET WITH FEDERAL HOUSING MONITOR.
(White Plains, NY) ~ Westchester County Board of Legislators Chairman William J. Ryan (D, WFP-White Plains) led a delegation of legislators to New York City to meet with the federally-appointed monitor overseeing the implementation process of the fair housing settlement agreement, approved by the county in September, on Wednesday. Chairman Ryan, along with Majority Whip Judy Myers (D-Larchmont), Legislators Lyndon Williams (D,WFP-Mount Vernon), John Nonna (D-Mount Pleasant) and Peter Harckham (D-Katonah) met with Mr. Johnson for more than an hour and discussed initial elements and progress being made on the proposed implementation plan, as well as meeting the affordable housing needs throughout the county. “The meeting with the monitor today was part of the ongoing process to develop the implementation plan required by the housing settlement by the end of January,” said Chairman Ryan. “During this transition period, moving from one Administration to the next, the Board will ensure the continuity needed within the process.”
The settlement was in response to a lawsuit brought against Westchester County by the Anti-Discrimination Center (ADC), accusing the county of making false statements on federal applications about its efforts to integrate housing. The approved settlement requires Westchester to spend $50 million over seven years to build 750 fair and affordable housing units, in areas that are overwhelmingly white and affluent. The agreement, also, calls for a federally-appointed monitor, James Johnson, to assist the county in creating a housing implementation plan to meet these goals. “It was an extremely positive exchange with Mr. Johnson where we had a frank discussion on implementation issues – especially the need for local workforce housing to get buy in from municipalities,” said Legislator Harckham.
“It is of utmost importance that we keep the ball rolling during the transition from one county executive to another, as we face significant challenges in meeting the approved timetable,” said Legislator Myers. Given the dynamic of a new Administration and with the Legislature’s best efforts being utilized to pass a county budget on time, the county received an extension finalizing an implementation plan from December 8th to January 30th, which was approved. “I was pleased to meet with a committee of the Board of Legislators and am encouraged by their continued commitment to this process,” said Johnson. Johnson, a partner at the New York City law firm of Debevoise & Plimpton, served as Undersecretary of the Treasury during the Clinton Administration and was most recently appointed by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine to head a commission to investigate charges of racial profiling by the New Jersey State Police. “Upon approving the settlement, the county had a small window to craft an implementation plan. However, we felt that we needed additional time, given our budget timeline, to create a plan that would meet these goals set before us,” said Legislator Williams. “I’m glad that we’ve been able to meet with the monitor and continue the dialogue surrounding this implementation plan.”
Additional news and video available at www.westchesterlegislators.com/mediacenter
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