Fair Housing Panel

Model Suburb or Dystopian Sprawl?

The Past, Present and Future of Community Planning & Affordable Housing in Westchester.

A Planners Network/WESPAC Foundation/CSEA Roundtable

Saturday, October 24th, 12pm at the CSEA Local 860: 595 W. Hartsdale Avenue, White Plains NY, 10607.

Accessible via I-287, the Bronx River Parkway and the #5 & #6 Bee Line bus routes. A shuttle will operate to carry

participants from the White Plains Metro-North station from 11AM to 12PM.

Marking six years since the 2009 Fair Housing Settlement for Westchester County, the WESPAC Foundation, CSEA

Local 860 and New York City chapter of the Planners Network will convene a roundtable of experts and advocates to

discuss the continual impact of fair housing and disparate impact on planning policy and practice.

Westchester County, commonly thought of as a haven of affluence and as New York’s model suburb has become

increasingly stratified economically as the urban/suburban divide intensifies. Meanwhile exclusionary zoning and an

increasing dearth of affordable housing perpetuates such divides. As many residents become priced out of New York

City, Westchester’s urban centers (Mount Vernon, Yonkers, Peekskill, Port Chester etc. traditionally concentrated

with affordable units due to race and class based discrimination and NIMBYism in more affluent areas) are

increasingly taking in more and more vulnerable persons who are facing an increasing lack of affordable units.

Meanwhile, wealthier communities such as Lewisboro and New Castle continue to promote exclusionary zoning

practices and non-compliance with the Fair Housing Settlement. As the need for affordable housing becomes

increasingly dire, the county government has largely abandoned compliance with the 2009 settlement. This

roundtable will look at the impacts of these practices, the past present, future of fair and affordable housing in

Westchester County and what can be done to confront these problems on a community level.

Planners Network NYC is proud to co-sponsor its first event outside of the five boroughs in partnership with the

WESPAC Foundation and CSEA Local 860. Admission is free and all community members are welcome to attend!

Panel Discussion to be followed by informal breakout sessions for community members to discuss and share their

thoughts on fair and affordable housing.

Discussants:

-Geoffrey D. Smith, Fair Housing advocate and Attorney, White Plains.

-Phyllis Maguire, Neighborhood Preservation Company, Human Development Services of Westchester, Port Chester.

-Laura Morris, Fair Housing specialist, Westchester Residential Opportunities Inc., White Plains.

-Tye Wilcox: Community activist and public housing resident, White Plains.