Welcome Home Westchester, a multi-stakeholder advocacy campaign providing education and driving the conversation on building the affordable housing we need countywide, is pleased to recognize Westchester’s three newest Pro-Housing Communities, as certified by New York State.
Congratulations to the Village of Irvington, City of Mount Vernon and Village of Ossining on being the first three Westchester municipalities to earn the Pro-Housing Community achievement in 2025!
“Irvington is a Pro-Housing Community and has a commitment to doing its part to contribute to housing growth. We seek to enact policies that encourage a broad range of housing development, including multifamily housing and affordable housing,” Village of Irvington Mayor Jonathan Siegel stated. “In particular, we are working to streamline permitting for housing approvals and through a NYS grant establish a transit oriented development zone.”
Irvington, Mount Vernon and the Village of Ossining join 11 Westchester municipalities that received Pro-Housing Community designations in 2024 (listed chronologically, from earliest to be certified): City of White Plains, Village of Croton-on-Hudson, City of New Rochelle, City of Yonkers, City of Peekskill, Town of Mamaroneck, Village of Sleepy Hollow, Village of Port Chester, Town of Cortlandt, Village of Dobbs Ferry and Village of Ardsley. Five additional Westchester County municipalities have applied to the Pro-Housing Community Program to date.
Stuart L. Rabin, Port Chester’s village manager, said: “The Village of Port Chester pursued certification as a Pro-Housing Community in New York to demonstrate its commitment to addressing the regional housing crisis, expanding affordable housing options, and supporting smart, inclusive growth. With increasing demand for housing and rising costs putting pressure on residents, the Village saw certification to align local policies with state goals, access competitive funding opportunities, and streamline the implementation of housing-friendly initiatives.”
As Pro-Housing Communities, these 14 Westchester County municipalities have demonstrated to the state that they are taking steps locally to address the housing shortage by committing to grow their housing stock by 1 percent per year.
Communities that show progress toward building the housing we need will receive special consideration for important state grant programs, infrastructure funding and funding for other housing projects.
Rabin said this step is one more Westchester County municipalities should consider.
“Other municipalities should be encouraged to apply and become certified to show leadership in tackling housing challenges, gain access to valuable resources, and foster more equitable, economically vibrant communities,” he stated. “Developing fair and affordable housing is not a job for the visionary few – it’s every city’s, town’s, and village’s job to combat the housing crisis in New York.”
Becoming a NYS Pro-Housing Community is one of the actions municipalities in Westchester County can take as part of Welcome Home Westchester’s Five in 25 Policy Agenda. Welcome Home Westchester calls on every city, town and village in Westchester to select at least one of the Five in 25 agenda items to help address the critical housing shortage our county faces:
- Produce a Housing Action Plan
- Create a fast-track environmental review for sustainable, energy-efficient housing and transit-oriented development
- Promote Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Transit-Oriented Development (TODs)
- Establish a “Core Curriculum” for Volunteer Land Use Board Member Training
- Become a NYS Pro-Housing Community
Welcome Home Westchester believes not every community needs to do the same things, but every community should do something to address the housing shortage. Congratulations again to the Village of Irvington, City of Mount Vernon and Village of Ossining and all certified Westchester municipalities for taking this crucial step!