Anyone who was expecting to hear a unified voice of Not in My Backyard rejection of the Governor’s proposals around housing, including accessory dwelling units and transit-oriented development, would have been surprised at today’s Westchester Assembly Delegation budget hearing.
At least a dozen speakers spoke in support of more housing choices of all shapes and sizes for all our residents. There’s a new recognition that the way local land use in some communities makes it difficult and sometimes impossible to build in-context multifamily units like ADUs, duplexes, townhouses and others is outdated and must change.
Clearly this is a complex conversation, and far from one-sided. In fact, an October 2021 poll from the Regional Plan Association of tri-state area residents found they were strongly supportive of proposals that could help address the affordable housing crisis. These proposals included allowing single-family homes to be turned into two-families (66% support, 19% oppose) and legalizing so-called accessory dwelling units (57% support 28% oppose).
Our campaign looks forward to continuing the conversation on providing more housing options. Building the housing Westchester needs is at the cross-section of climate resilience, creating jobs and opportunity, and forming a more equitable community. We urge others to join in on our mission to shift the conversation on housing in Westchester!
-Welcome Home Westchester