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Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues,
our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.
It's always unsettling when residents state as fact incorrect information they claim to have received from officials--especially regarding the 2009 Spano-brokered "affordable housing" settlement with HUD. For example, one resident repeatedly stated that our housing allocation under the settlement was less than 45 apartments, while another claimed that because the village is largely "built-up" with no vacant land (under either private or municipal ownership), this housing "won't be built anyway".
Still another insisted that because the village built Symphony Knoll and Mount Airy Woods, this allocation counts towards the mythical "45 apartments" number. (She heard a former official say it at a board meeting.)
Yet another astonishingly claimed that the village's zoning would not allow more apartment buildings/multi family housing anywhere else in Croton.
We urge residents to once again read the 3/21/13 letter from HUD to Mayor Wiegman. Obtained from the village pursuant to a freedom of information request and placed online at http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2013/04/hud-letter-to-croton-now-online.html, HUD states that we have 98 more apartments to build under the settlement.
With respect to availability of sites, HUD further states that: THE
VILLAGE WILL NOT SATISFY ITS OBLIGATION UNLESS IT ALLOWS FOR
MULTIFAMILY HOUSING IN ADDITIONAL DISTRICTS OR PROVIDES FOR AFFORDABLE
HOUSING TYPES. THIS MAY REQUIRE LOOSENING THE RESTRICTIONS ON ACCESSORY
UNITS OR EXPLORING POSSIBILITIES FOR REDEVELOPMENT.
If the HUD monitor is in error regarding our allocation of 98 apartments or anywhere else in his Croton zoning analysis, we hope our village officials will break their long-standing silence and issue the appropriate corrections publicly. The monitor asks for a response from the village by 4/18/13.
More information on the HUD settlement, related zoning issues, etc. will be forthcoming.
Thank you. I read the letter and attachments wit interest and hope the board will finally address the issues raised in it by HUD.
ReplyDeleteI won't hold my breath. It's just so sad and out of control. From bike lanes to rezoning to bike racks to Gouveia to endless taxpayer dollars spend on consultants to grant money with strings to residents who are ignored or worse to residents who refuse to believe what's right there in front of them, it's not a community to remain in for me and I've been here all my life. I'll have to take Florida ultimately. Well at least it's warm there.
ReplyDelete