Cover Impediments to Fair Housing Choice - New Rochelle, NY

City of New RochelleAnalysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice

Adopted June 2008

®

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE i

E S. E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E S -1

Planning Preparation and Process ................................................................................................ ES-1

Citizen Participation........................................................................................................................ ES-2

Fair Housing initiatives................................................................................................................... ES-2

Federal Resources............................................................................................................................ ES-3

I . I N T R O D U C T I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I - 1

Who Conducted the Study................................................................................................................. I-1

Participants ........................................................................................................................................... I-2

Methodology Used .............................................................................................................................. I-3

Funding ................................................................................................................................................. I-4

Conclusions .......................................................................................................................................... I-4

I I . J U R I S D I C T I O N A L B A C K G R O U N D . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I - 1

Demographic Data ............................................................................................................................ II-1

Income Data....................................................................................................................................... II-2

Employment Data ............................................................................................................................. II-3

Housing Profile .................................................................................................................................. II-5

Other Relevant Data ......................................................................................................................... II-8

I I I . F A I R H O U S I N G L E G A L S T A T U S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I I I - 1

I V . I D E N T I F I C A T I O N O F I M P E D I M E N T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . I V - 1

Public Sector......................................................................................................................................IV-1

Private Sector ..................................................................................................................................IV-13

Public and Private Sector ..............................................................................................................IV-18


CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE ii

V . A S S E S S M E N T O F P R O G R A M S A N D A C T I V I T I E S . V - 1

HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) ..................................................................V-1

Community Development Block Program (CDBG)....................................................................V-2

Housing Choice Voucher Rental Assistance Program .................................................................V-5

Westchester Residential Opportunities Access to Home Program............................................V-5

Programs Assessment Conclusion...................................................................................................V-6

V I . C O N C L U S I O N A N D R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S . . . . . . . V I - 1

Impediments to Fair Housing Choice...........................................................................................VI-1

Previous Impediments to Fair Housing and Actions Taken .....................................................VI-7

Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................VI-9

V I I . R E F E R E N C E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . V I I - 1

L IST OF TABLES

Table 2-1 2008 HUD Income Limits for Westchester County.............................................. II-3

Table 2-2 New Rochelle Business Sector Characteristics in 2001 .......................................... II-4

Table 2-3 Median Rents by Bedroom Size for Westchester County...................................... II-7

Table 3-1 Fair Housing Complaints Received by WRO Since 2004 .....................................III-1

Table 4-1 Multi-Family Districts .................................................................................................IV-2

Table 4-2 Accessible Housing Survey 2005 and 2007 Overall Access Ratings for New

Rochelle .......................................................................................................................IV-13

Table 4-3 HMDA Aggregate Loan Applications for New Rochelle ...................................IV-14

Table 4-4 HMDA Aggregate Insurance Loans for New Rochelle ......................................IV-15

Table 4-5 Building Accessibility/Visitability in New Rochelle.............................................IV-22

L IST OF F IGURES


CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE iii

Figure 4-1 Employment/Transportation/Assisted Housing Relationship............................IV-5

Figure 4-2 Location of Choice ......................................................................................................IV-6

APPENDICES

Appendix A – Signature Page

Appendix B – Areas of Racial/Ethnic Integration and Segregation Maps

Appendix C – Home Mortgage Disclosure Act Data

Appendix D – Outreach List

Appendix E – Fair Housing Survey and Questionnaire

Appendix F – Citizen Participation

ES. Executive S

ummary

ES. Executive S

ummary

ES. Executive S

ummary

ES. Executive S

ummary

ES. EXECUTIVE SUMMAES. EXECUTIVE SUMMAES. EXECUTIVE SUMMAES. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYRYRYRY

E S . E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE ES-1

The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) is required by the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from local jurisdictions that receive

federal housing and community development funds under the Community Development

Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Programs.

The overall goal of the AI is to review and assess impediments to fair housing within the

community.

According to HUD, impediments to fair housing choice are:

• Any actions, omissions, or decisions taken because of race, color, religion, sex,

disability, familial status or national origin that restrict housing choices or the

availability of housing choices.

• Any actions, omissions or decisions that have the effect of restricting housing

choices or the availability of housing choices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,

disability, familial status or national origin.

The AI consists of seven sections:

1. Executive Summary;

2. Introduction;

3. Jurisdictional Background Data;

4. Evaluation of Jurisdiction’s Current Fair Housing Legal Status;

5. Identification of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice;

6. Assessment of the Current Public and Private Fair Housing Programs and Activities in

the Jurisdiction; and

7. Conclusions and Recommendations.

PLANNING PREPARATION AND PROCESS

The preparation of the AI utilized consultation and coordination among various government

agencies, private groups (for- and non-profit), and individuals.



CIT IZEN PARTICIPATION

The City of New Rochelle conducted three public focus groups in April 2007 during the

Consolidated Plan process. Comments and input relating to New Rochelle’s housing needs

were received at this time and were utilized for the AI. Community members and social

service organizations were invited to attend the public focus groups. Housing, recreation,

youth, and senior service providers, as well as neighborhood associations, were present at the

workshops.

A Fair Housing Survey and a Fair Housing Questionnaire was also conducted of various

public and private organizations that provide services essential to fair housing to gather input

relevant to fair housing efforts and impediments to fair housing in New Rochelle.

FAIR HOUSING IN IT IATIVES

Fair housing is crucial to ensuring that persons of like income levels have equal access to

housing. A key part of achieving this goal is the preparation of this Analysis of Impediments

to Fair Housing Choice (AI). The previous AI was completed by the Department of

Development May 2001.

Previous issues identified in the AI include the following:

• Inadequate supply of affordable units;

• Substandard housing;

• Inadequate supply of housing for disabled persons;

• Lack of knowledge of fair housing regulations;

• Need for fair housing enforcement and advocacy;

• Aged housing stock in need of repair;

• High income levels and fees required to rent apartments limits choice for people on

fixed incomes; and

• Locations of banking institutions and real estate offices.



The City of New Rochelle is conducting several housing programs and projects which

address some of the various fair housing impediments. In addition, there are several local

housing agencies providing an array of fair housing, first-time homebuyer assistance, and

eviction prevention, all of which enable protected groups to obtain, maintain, and finance

decent and affordable housing.

FEDERAL RESOURCES

The primary federal resources for the City are the HUD CDBG and HOME Program grants.

The total estimated CDBG funding for the City of New Rochelle for fiscal year 2008 is

$1,723,930 and is $623,884 for HOME funding.

I. IntroductionI. IntroductionI. IntroductionI. Introduction

I. INTRODUCTIONI. INTRODUCTIONI. INTRODUCTIONI. INTRODUCTION

I . I N T R O D U C T I O N

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE I-1

Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 (and subsequent Amendment in 1988) made it

unlawful to discriminate in any aspect related to sale, rental, or financing of dwellings (or in

the provision of brokerage services or facilities) in connection with the sale or rental of a

dwelling because of:

• Race;

• Color;

• Religion;

• National origin;

• Sex;

• Families with children; and

• Persons with handicaps.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all recipients that

receive federal funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME

Investment Partnerships (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), and Housing

Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Programs take actions to affirmatively

further fair housing. This obligation includes conducting an analysis to identify impediments

to fair housing choice within the jurisdiction.

The last Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice (AI) conducted by the City of New

Rochelle was in May 2001. The purpose of this study is to update the Analysis of

Impediments in accordance with HUD requirements of 24 CFR 570.904(c)(1) for

Entitlement CDBG grantees of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

and in accordance with HOME Program requirements for Entitlement grantees under HUD.

The City is committed to eliminating discriminatory practices in housing opportunities for all

protected groups identified under the fair housing laws and continues to be committed to

furthering fair housing within its jurisdiction.

WHO CONDUCTED THE STUDY

The City of New Rochelle coordinated efforts with other relevant public service agencies to

conduct the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice. The Department of

Development is responsible for the administration of HUD related programs in the City of

New Rochelle, including the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program and

the HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program, and acts as the lead agency in

preparing the Analysis of Impediments.



PARTICIPANTS

The City of New Rochelle understands the importance of citizen participation and involving

pertinent stakeholders in the AI process. To ensure that all relevant information was

gathered, the City utilized many resources in conducting this study and collaborated with

individuals and groups that represent the special interests of protected groups. A fair housing

survey was provided online and a draft of the AI was given to various organizations working

with fair housing and low- and moderate-income persons for comment. Participants

included the following:

• City of New Rochelle’s Section 8 Office;

• City of New Rochelle Buildings Department;

• Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO);

• New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NRNRC);

• New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA);

• Westchester Community Opportunity Program (WESCOP);

• Westchester Jewish Community Services;

• Habitat for Humanity;

• Westchester Disabled on the Move;

• Westhab Inc;

• New Rochelle Human Rights Commission;

• Aids-Related Community Services;

• Westchester County Veterans Services Agency;

• Housing Action Council; and

• Westchester County Board of Realtors.

Additionally, during the preparation of the 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan, three public focus

groups were held in April 2007 and two public hearings were held in June and November of

2007. Comments and input relating to New Rochelle’s housing needs were received at this

time. These meetings were attended by the public, various public service agencies, and non-

profit organizations taking a special interest in housing-related activities. A draft of the

Analysis of Impediments will be available on the City’s website for 15 days to provide public

comment. A detailed outreach list is attached in Appendix D.



METHODOLOGY USED

The methodology used in conducting the Analysis of Impediments included identifying

strengths and weaknesses in fair housing practices and recommending courses of action to

improve upon the deficiencies found during the study. The analysis included a review of

current demographic data, contact with the public and special interest groups, and a

comprehensive review of all laws, regulations, ordinances, and policies affecting housing

patterns and practices throughout New Rochelle. The approach to the City’s AI was based

on the methodologies recommended in HUD’s Fair Housing Planning Guide, Vol. I. Areas

of review are described in more detail below.

D E M O G R A P H I C A N D H O U S I N G M A R K E T R E V I E W

Demographic data from the U.S. Census Bureau as well as any other local or more recent

demographic data source was utilized in this study. Data collected from the New Rochelle

2008-2012 Consolidated Plan was also used for the AI. Special attention was paid to trends

that may indicate a concentration of protected classes in any one area of the City.

Information on the accessibility and availability of housing, including different unit sizes,

affordability levels, and accessibility for disabled persons was also collected.

L O C A L R E G U L A T O R Y R E V I E W

A comprehensive review of all local ordinances and regulations that may potentially influence

the availability or accessibility of housing to protected groups, such as minorities, families

with children, or people with disabilities, was also completed. This included a review of local

policy decisions and actions to determine if those actions prohibit or impede the approval

process for the construction of subsidized and private housing. A review was also conducted

to determine whether public policy actions keep housing and community development

resources from areas with a large concentration of minorities or people with disabilities.

Administrative actions that influence the location of public transportation and that impede or

cause the concentration of housing and social services for people with disabilities were

reviewed as well. Local regulatory review also included employment policies to analyze

information about hiring policies and practices, focusing on the hiring and retention of

minorities and persons with disabilities.

R E P R E S E N T A T I O N O F P R O T E C T E D G R O U P S

An evaluation was made of the extent of representation of racial, ethnic, religious, or disabled

communities and an assessment done on whether any existing policies or practices impede

the appropriate representation of any of these groups on local planning and zoning boards

and commissions.



R E A L E S T A T E P R A C T I C E S

A review of housing choice for protected groups was made by investigating local for-sale and

rental housing markets. The presence of any practices that may affect the ability of protected

groups to rent or buy homes in New Rochelle was researched. In addition, a review and

analysis of all housing discrimination complaints or lawsuits filed in the City was completed.

S E G R E G A T I O N A N D R A C I A L V I O L E N C E

Police report data was utilized to determine the extent of racially motivated violence and

degree of racial segregation. Demographic data sources to evaluate the extent of racial

segregation in the county were also reviewed.

FUNDING

The Department of Housing and Urban Development requires that all jurisdictions receiving

CDBG and HOME funds certify to affirmatively further fair housing. In certifying that the

jurisdiction will further fair housing the City must conduct an Analysis of Impediments,

preferably in conjunction with their five-year Consolidated Plan process. The City of New

Rochelle recently prepared the 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan and as part of that process is

now updating the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing.

Major organizations that coordinate with the City of New Rochelle in fair housing efforts

include the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA) and the New Rochelle

Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NRNRC).

The New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA) receives approximately $4.4

million annually and provides affordable housing opportunities to nearly 2,500 people in

New Rochelle including 400 families, 200 seniors, and 200 disabled.

The New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NRNRC) is a non-profit

organization that has created affordable housing valued at over $85 million since 1979 and

hundreds of thousands of dollars in new tax revenue annually for the City.

CONCLUSIONS

The City conducted a thorough review of current demographic data, a comprehensive review

of all public sector laws, regulations, ordinances, and policies, a review of private sector

lending policies and practices, fair housing enforcement, informational programs and

visitability in housing in New Rochelle. The Analysis also included an assessment of the

jurisdiction’s fair housing programs and activities. The City consulted with several local fair

housing organizations and also conducted a fair housing survey which provided valuable



input. Through the comprehensive review and input received from the various bureaus and

agencies the City was able to identify the following impediments to fair housing choice in

New Rochelle.

• Reluctance of landlords and large privately owned apartment complexes to rent to

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher tenants.

• Inadequate supply of affordable housing in New Rochelle.

• Lack of available vacant land in New Rochelle to build affordable housing projects

• Lack of accessible housing units for the disabled.

• Presence of lead based paint in the City's aging housing stock limits housing choice

for families with small children.

• Discriminatory practices of Co-op Boards in approving potential purchasers.

There are various approaches and actions that the City can take in an effort to remedy fair

housing impediments. Recommendations for the continuation of current efforts the City

already undertakes and commencement of new corrective actions to increase fair housing

efforts are detailed in Section VI of this Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.

II. JURISDICTIONAL II. JURISDICTIONAL II. JURISDICTIONAL II. JURISDICTIONAL

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDBACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

II. Jurisdictional Background




I I . J U R I S D I C T I O N A L B A C K G R O U N D

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE II-1

New Rochelle was founded in 1688 by the French Huguenots who named the town after

their last stronghold in France, La Rochelle. New Rochelle is located in Westchester County

and is about 16 miles from New York City. It lies on the Long Island Sound east of Mount

Vernon and is a suburban city of 10.4 square miles. For almost 300 years, New Rochelle's

waterfront has continued to play an important role in the life of the community. The

shoreline within the City of New Rochelle measures 2.7 miles, but with its many irregularities

and off-shore islands, the actual length of the waterfront is 9.3 miles.

DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

P O P U L A T I O N

In 2000, the City had a population of 72,182 and has a high population density with 7,098

people per square mile. New Rochelle is one of the largest suburbs of New York City, the

seventh-largest city in the state of New York, and the second-largest city in Westchester

County. Between 1990 and 2000, the population increased seven percent. In 2005, the

American Community Survey estimated the City’s population to be 75,961, indicating an

approximate growth rate of about one percent per year. The estimated population as of July

2006 was 73,446. As of 2000, Westchester County’s population was estimated to be 923,459,

and is expected to grow to 945,174 by 2010 and to 982,666 by 2030.

The seven percent growth in the population in New Rochelle since the 2000 census directly

affects the current housing demand and community redevelopment. As the population

grows, there is an increased need for more development, more job opportunities and

municipal services. Growth may also spur construction in new homes, which will result in an

increasing need for affordable single-family homes and rental units. Rental prices may

increase due to growth and associated demand for housing.

A G E

The median age of New Rochelle residents is 37 years, as compared to 39 for Westchester

County. Youth under the age of 18 account for 24 percent of the population and 16 percent

of the population is seniors. The largest population segment in New Rochelle at 30 percent

is middle-age adults 25-44 years old.

R A C E / E T H N I C I T Y

New Rochelle is known for its diverse population, and many community members describe

this as one of the City’s primary assets. The City is comprised mainly of Caucasian/Non-

Hispanics, but there are also many Hispanic and African-American residents.



Racial composition of New Rochelle in 2000 is listed below:

• Caucasian/Non-Hispanic 68%

• Hispanic Origin 20%

• African American 19%

• Other 6%

• Asian 3%

• Two or More Races 3%

• American Indian and Alaska Native <1%

• Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander <1%

Approximately one-fifth of residents indicate they are of Hispanic origin. Ethnicity is

selected in addition to a race, and therefore the totals may add to greater than 100 percent.

Increasing racial and ethnic diversity may mean the increased need for sufficient public

services to address issues such as language barriers, education for minorities, job opportunity

and training for minorities and fair housing.

INCOME DATA

Income is directly related to increasing opportunity and prosperity, particularly for low-and

moderate-income persons. The 2000 median household income in New Rochelle was

$55,513 and per capita income was $31,956. Westchester County had a higher median

household income in 2000 at $63,582 and per capita income of $36,726. Since 2000, New

Rochelle’s median household income has grown with an estimate of $66,363 in 2005. If New

Rochelle is able to maintain the pattern of growth, the quality of life for all residents is likely

to increase.

According to 2000 Census data 7,376 or 10.2 percent of New Rochelle’s residents were living

at or below the poverty level as of 2000. This figure is higher than Westchester County

(8.6%) and lower than New York State as a whole (14.2%). Female-headed households with

children under 18 living in poverty accounted for 2.9% of the population. Families with

children under 18 made up 2.8% and 1.4% were persons age 65 and older. Female-headed

households and elderly households typically increase the demand for affordable housing near

schools and also near access to mass transit.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) uses the area median income

to determine which areas have a high percentage of low-and moderate-income households.

Using this data, it was determined that the southern part of the City has the majority of low-



and moderate-income households. Income limit areas are based on FY 2008 for

Westchester County, which includes New Rochelle, and are shown below.

T A B L E 2 - 1 2 0 08 H U D I N C O M E L I M I T S F O R

W E S T C H E S T E R C O U N T Y

CDBG

Income Level % AMI Income

Extremely Low 0-30% Less than $30,500

Low 31-50% $30,501 - $50,800

Moderate2 51-80% $50,801-$81,300

HOME1

Extremely Low 0-30% Less than $30,500

Very Low 31-50% $30,501-$50,800

Very Low 51-60% $50,801-$60,960

Low2 61-80% $60,961-$81,300 1 Income limits are based on a four-person household. 2 The City of New Rochelle has been approved by HUD to use “uncapped income limits” for this income category which reflects 80% of the actual median income for the area . It is higher than the standard 2008 HUD limit of $70,800 for this income group. These are the limits established by HUD and referred to in the definition of “Low Income” families in the HOME regulations at 24 CFR 92.2.

EMPLOYMENT DATA

In 2005, New Rochelle had 35,268 people in the labor force (Westchester County

Department of Planning, Data Book, 2005). There were approximately 1,505 unemployed

persons, and the City’s unemployment rate in November 2005 was 4.3 percent. In 2000,

there were 33,757 jobs held in New Rochelle by persons age 16 and older. Major retail

facilities in New Rochelle include New Roc City, Price Club, Home Depot, Quaker Ridge

Shopping Center, Golden Horseshoe, New Rochelle Shopping Center, and Costco Wholesale

(Westchester County Department of Planning, Data Book, 2001).

New Rochelle has a very diverse local business sector, as demonstrated in the table below.



T A B L E 2 - 2 N E W R O C H E L L E B U S I N E S S S E C T O R

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S I N 20 01

Business Sector # of Firms # Employed Payroll Sales

Wholesale Trade 147 1,221 $55,826,000 $614,106,000

Retail Trade 256 2,581 $50,969,000 $609,360,000

Healthcare and Social Assistance

202 1,459 $51,470,000 $125,291,000

Professional, Scientific & Technical Services

175 1,416 $22,914,000 $61,471,000

Administrative Support and Waste Management

77 857 $18,701,000 $48,214,000

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation

Specific numbers not available at city level

Information Services Specific numbers not available at city level

Manufacturing Industries

Specific numbers not available at city level

As of 2006, New Rochelle’s local economy had strengthened from previous years. New

Rochelle has many assets that increase economic opportunity, including its location near New

York City, waterfront access, and its diverse population and rich history (The Changing Face

of New Rochelle, 2006).

Large scale development in New Rochelle is bringing new life to older commercial centers.

As of 2006, there have been a number of new restaurant openings, including Mo’s New York

Grill, Rangoli Indian Cuisine, Red Lotus, Da Vinci Café, and Bella Bella. New investment

and development has also caused downtown property owners to invest in improvements and

provides increased job opportunities for local low-income residents.

In conjunction with the new development taking place, a New Rochelle Development

Employment Initiative has been launched to ensure that the maximum number of New

Rochelle residents benefit and participate in the City’s extensive development. The initiative

promotes skilled trades and provides professional career training and employment

opportunities, especially for low- and moderate-income persons. In 2006, 12 individuals

completed a six-week pre-apprentice program. With more than $2 billion of development

projects planned or in progress, there will continue to be opportunities for job growth in the

construction trades, retail, management, and technical services (The Changing Face of New

Rochelle, 2006).



This initiative will provide the opportunity for residents to economically improve their

lifestyle, promote career advancement, preserve the City’s essential diverse workforce, and

produce a local economic multiplier effect.

HOUSING PROFILE

The ability of low- and moderate-income households to be able to rent or buy a home is

increasingly a challenge throughout the United States, including in New Rochelle. Increases

in household income have not kept pace with the rising cost of housing.

The type, size, and composition of a household can affect the type of housing and services

that are needed. In 2000, New Rochelle had 26,235 households, most consisting of families.

The average household size was 2.68 persons in 2000. Sixty-seven percent or 17,683

households in New Rochelle are families, and 19 percent of households are married, 6

percent are single-parent families, and 33 percent have children under age 18. Twenty-six

percent of all households in New Rochelle are single persons living alone, and 13 percent of

all households have a member age 65 or older. Thirty-four percent of all households have

children under 18.

The growing percentage of families with children may increase the demand for owner-

occupied housing in New Rochelle since national data indicates that families with children are

more likely to buy their home than other household types. This may also result in the need

for more homeownership programs, including first-time homebuyer counseling programs.

The large number of elderly households will continue the need for supportive housing and

other services to assist the frail elderly. Fifty-nine percent of New Rochelle’s elderly own

their homes, so there will be an increasing need for rehabilitation, including to accommodate

ADA accessibility issues. Also, the continuous rise in taxes is forcing the elderly out of their

homes, so the need for more senior housing and assisted living will continue to increase.

Single-parent households, specifically female-headed households living below the poverty

level, will continue to increase the demand for affordable housing. Single-parent households

may also increase the need for housing that provides suitable access to amenities such as

schools, day care facilities, and transportation.

The number of households in New Rochelle containing more than five people will increase

the need for adequately-sized affordable housing units to be constructed, specifically

affordable rental units to prevent overcrowding.



H O U S I N G G R O W T H , T Y P E , T E N U R E , A N D V A C A N C Y

R A T E

In 2000, New Rochelle had 26,995 housing units and a vacancy rate of 2.9 percent for owner-

occupied units and 2.45 percent for renter-occupied units. Multi-family units make up a large

percentage of housing units in New Rochelle. Rental units in larger buildings are typical of

urban cities like New Rochelle. Fifty percent of units (13,173) are owner-occupied and 50

percent of units (13,016) are renter-occupied.

Housing types in New Rochelle consist of:

• Single-family detached 38%

• Single-family attached 3%

• Multi-family units 49%

• Duplexes 9%

• Mobile homes <1%

Large Households

• 13 percent (3,510) of all households in New Rochelle have five or more persons.

• 55 percent (1,864) of large households own their home, and 45 percent (1,509

households) are renters.

• 76 percent (13,173 units) of owner-occupied housing units have three or more

bedrooms.

• 15 percent (1,905 units) of rental housing units have three or more bedrooms.

Single Parent Households

• Single parent families in New Rochelle increased by 54 percent between 1990 and

2000.

• 7 percent (1,949) of all New Rochelle households are headed by single parents with

children. 78 percent (1,526) of those households are headed by women.

• 23 percent (1,955) of female-headed households live below the poverty level.



A G E A N D C O N D I T I O N

According to the 2000 Census, the majority of the City’s housing stock was built before 1960,

with most being built in 1939 or earlier. Approximately 2 percent of housing units were built

between 1990 and 2000. The majority of housing units constructed before 1940 are brick

structures, many with original exterior and interior wood trim, plaster walls, and rich, historic

architectural features.

The age of the City’s housing stock contributes to New Rochelle’s attractive historic

character. However, the age of the dwellings also contributes to the need for ongoing

maintenance and, in many instances, substantial rehabilitation when property owners have

not undertaken necessary maintenance.

• 161 units, or less than one percent of all units, lack complete plumbing facilities.

• 117 units lack complete kitchen facilities.

O V E R C R O W D I N G

Overcrowding is relatively low for owners in New Rochelle; however, renters experience

overcrowding at a much higher rate (14 percent) than owner households (2 percent).

Overcrowding for all households in New Rochelle is at 8 percent according to the 2000

Census.

H O U S I N G C O S T S

The median listing price in New Rochelle in 2008 is $725,000 and the average sale price is

$691,864, according to the Multiple Listing Service system.

T A B L E 2 - 3 M E D I A N R E N T S B Y B E D R O O M S I Z E F O R

W E S T C H E S T E R C O U N T Y ( A S C A L C U L A T E D B Y H U D F O R 2 0 08 )

Fair Market 50% AMI

(30% of Income) 51-65% AMI

Studio $1,095 $888 $1,056

One-Bedroom $1,306 $952 $1,133

Two-Bedroom $1,519 $1,142 $1,362

Three-Bedroom $1,832 $1,320 $1,565



As the cost of housing rises nationwide, finding affordable housing in the City of New

Rochelle and Westchester County continues to be a challenge. Though there has been a

decrease in single-family home prices from 2006 to 2007, the high-end market remained the

strongest, with 21 percent of homes selling for $1 million or more. This market makes it

difficult for low- and moderate-income families to achieve homeownership and with very

low- and low-income levels in New Rochelle ranging from $27,757 to $44,410, the rental

rates in Westchester County make it hard for low-income families to find suitable housing.

The City of New Rochelle is taking steps towards furthering the affordable housing initiative

by working with non-profit agencies such as the NRNRC, Habitat for Humanity, Westhab,

Inc. and the Housing Action Council to construct new affordable housing developments.

The City has also taken the initiative to make sure that any new housing development

considers affordable housing by adopting an ordinance that requires developers to build

affordable units. This ordinance initiates an affordable housing fund that can help finance

additional affordable housing activities.

OTHER RELEVANT DATA

E D U C A T I O N P R O F I L E

Education level and economic opportunities play a critical role in determining the income

level of a household. In New Rochelle, educational attainment of person aged 25 years and

over is as follows:

• 9 percent have not competed high school.

• 10 percent have a high school education (no diploma) or less.

• 23 percent are high school graduates.

• 14 percent of residents have attended some college but have no degree.

• 24 percent have a college degree (includes Associate and Bachelor’s degrees).

• 18 percent have a professional/graduate degree.

S P E C I A L N E E D S P O P U L A T I O N

Certain groups may have more difficulty finding housing and may require specialized services

or assistance. Due to their special circumstances, these groups are more likely to have low or

moderate incomes. These groups include the elderly, frail elderly, and persons with

disabilities, among others.



Elderly and Frail Elderly

There are 11,279 persons in New Rochelle age 65 or over as of 2000. There were a total of

6,951 senior households in 2000 and seniors represent 16 percent of the population. Forty-

one percent of elderly households rent their homes, while 59 percent of elderly households

own their homes. Also, 6,602 seniors, or 59 percent of seniors in New Rochelle have some

type of disability.

Persons with Disabilities

Disability data is provided for persons ages five or over in the 2000 Census. In New

Rochelle 11,961 persons, or 17 percent of the total population, have a disability. Of the total

number of disabilities:

• 21 percent are physical disabilities;

• 9 percent are sensory disabilities;

• 11 percent are mental disabilities;

• 7 percent have self-care disabilities;

• 25 percent are disabilities that prevent the person from going outside their home; and

• 27 percent are disabilities that affect a person’s employment.

III. Fair Housing Legal S

tatusIII. Fair H

ousing Legal Status

III. Fair Housing Legal S

tatusIII. Fair H

ousing Legal Status

III. FAIR HOUSING LIII. FAIR HOUSING LIII. FAIR HOUSING LIII. FAIR HOUSING LEGAL EGAL EGAL EGAL

STATUSSTATUSSTATUSSTATUS

I I I . F A I R H O U S I N G L E G A L S T A T U S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE III-1

One component of New Rochelle’s Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice is to

identify fair housing complaints in the City and to recognize and understand patterns or

trends involving housing complaints. Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) acts as

the lead fair housing organization for Westchester County and is the first line of contact for

fair housing complaints. WRO is a HUD-certified housing counseling agency, a licensed real

estate broker, and a United Way agency. WRO works with real estate agents, property

managers, and landlords to ensure that fair housing laws are followed, and also works with

banks and other lenders to ensure that fair lending procedures are practiced.

If an individual feels that they have been discriminated against in regards to the purchase or

rental of housing, they may also make a formal fair housing complaint to the Department of

Housing and Urban Development. Individuals can also contact the New York State Division

of Human Rights or the New Rochelle Human Rights Commission.

To analyze potential impediments to fair housing choice, information from WRO, the New

York State Division of Human Rights, the Department of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) was reviewed. The City requested or reviewed

information on the number and types of complaints that have been filed alleging housing

discrimination.

Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) provided the information in Table 3-1

disclosing the number and type of complaints received in New Rochelle from 2004 to the

present.

T A B L E 3 - 1 F A I R H O U S I N G C O M P L A I N T S R E C E I V E D

B Y W RO S I N C E 2 0 04

Practices Cited as Discriminatory Resolved

Complaints and Referrals

Type of

Discrimination Conditions of Sale or

Rental

Refusal to Rent

Reasonable Accommo-

dation

Number of Fair

Housing Complaints Successfully

Resolved

Number of Fair

Housing Complaints Referred to

HUD

Race 3 10 4 14 0

Color 0 0 0 0 0

Religion 0 0 0 0 0

Sex 0 0 0 0 0

National Origin 4 4 0 4 0

Disability 2 4 18 18 2

Familial Status (families with children under 18)

3 5 2 6 0

Total Complaints 12 23 24 42 2

I I I . F A I R H O U S I N G L E G A L S T A T U S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE III-2

The NYS Division of Human Rights’ current information system is only able to supply data

from 2004 to present. Data is available by zip code. Between 2004 and 2008, the Division

received seven housing-related complaints in New Rochelle. Of those complaints, four

concerned disability issues, two concerned age-related issues, and one concerned

marital/familial status.

In the case that an individual feels that their housing rights have been violated and would like

to make a complaint to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), they

have one year to do so. Upon HUD accepting the complaint an investigation takes place. If

the investigation by HUD produces reasonable cause to believe that discrimination has

occurred the Secretary of HUD will charge the respondent with violating fair housing laws.

After the charge has been issued a HUD Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will hear the case

and issue an initial decision. In the event that the parties involved elect to have their case

heard in federal court the Department of Justice (DOJ) will commence a civil action.

From the data received above regarding fair housing complaints in New Rochelle, there have

been no complaints received where the Secretary of HUD has issued a charge against a

respondent and no complaints required a decision by a HUD Administrative Law Judge.

Since the previous AI was conducted, no fair housing suit has been issued within the City of

New Rochelle by the Department of Justice.

IV. Identification of Im

pediments


pediments


pediments


pediments

IV. IDENTIFICATION IV. IDENTIFICATION IV. IDENTIFICATION IV. IDENTIFICATION OF OF OF OF

IMPEDIMENTSIMPEDIMENTSIMPEDIMENTSIMPEDIMENTS

I V . I D E N T I F I C A T I O N O F I M P E D I M E N T S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE IV-1

PUBLIC SECTOR

Z O N I N G A N D S I T E S E L E C T I O N

The City of New Rochelle Zoning Code is codified in Chapter 331 of the Municipal Code. It

was adopted in November of 2001 and has subsequently been amended.

The Code defines 42 zoning districts divided into three classes: “fixed” districts, overlay

zones, and “floating” zones. The three fixed classes are residence, mixed use, and

commercial/industrial. Seven of the residential districts specifically permit multi-family uses.

One of the “floating” zones specifically permits the development of affordable housing.

A floating zone is by definition intended to encourage a specific use by facilitating the re-

zoning of certain qualifying parcels. The Affordable Housing Floating Zone (PUD-AH) can

apply to any parcel that is located in the RMF-0.4 zone or higher density or that is in an

urban renewal zone. This zone yields a density of approximately 25 units/acre.

For housing to be affordable, it must often be developed at higher densities. For the purpose

of this analysis, a minimum permissible lot area per dwelling unit of equal to or less than

3,500 square feet will be considered higher density. The City of New Rochelle has eight such

zoning districts. Four of these districts have minimal set-back requirements combined with a

maximum floor area ratio of 0.50 or greater.

A total of six multi-family districts have a maximum floor area ratio of 1.0 or greater. Only

three of these are combined with minimum lot area/dwelling unit and minimal set-back

requirements.

For a summary of these districts, please see the table below.



T A B L E 4 - 1 M U L T I - F A M I L Y D I S T R I C T S

Minimum set-back (feet) District Max. FAR

Min. lot area per dwelling unit

(SF)

Min. floor area per dwelling unit

(SF) Front Side Rear

R2-7.0 "Two-family Residence" 0.40 3,500 600 20 8 each, 20 combined

30

R1-URTH "Urban Renewal Townhouse"

0.50 2,200 1,000 10 None 10

RMF-0.4 "Multifamily Residence" 0.40 3,500 600 20 8 each, 20 combined

30

RMF-0.5 "Multifamily Residence" 0.50 3,500 400, plus 200 per

bedroom 20

8 each, 20 combined

30

RMF-0.7 "Multifamily Residence" 0.70 3,500 400, plus 200 per

bedroom 25 See note 1. 30

RMF-1.0 "Multifamily Residence" 1.0 3,500 for the first 2 units, 2,500 for

each addl.

400, plus 200 per bedroom

25 12 30


each addl.


25 See note 2. 30


each addl.


20 20 20

Note 1: 12ft but not less than half the height of the facing wall.

Note 2: For buildings up to 40 feet in height: same as in the RMF-0.7 District. For buildings greater than 40 feet in height: 25 feet plus 1/16 the height of the wall facing the side lot lines.



A zoning map of the City of New Rochelle shows that the majority of higher density districts

are concentrated in the southern third of the City. These areas coincide with areas of minority

concentration and low-income areas.

C O M M U N I T Y R E V I T A L I Z A T I O N A N D M U N I C I P A L

S E R V I C E S

Neighborhood revitalization efforts and the provision of services play a key role in fair

housing choice. The City’s community development strategy focuses on continuing

revitalization efforts in the community and downtown area through various public facilities

activities and also providing various services to low-and moderate-income persons. The City

will undertake infrastructure improvements that will focus on the revitalization of the

downtown area and also provide a safer environment for residents. Public facility activities

include street lighting, curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. Public services, which encompass a wide

range of activities that provide assistance to many target-income residents, are a high priority

for New Rochelle as well. New Rochelle provides an array of services citywide, including

first-time homebuyer counseling, homeless services, senior services, youth services, and

disabled services. The City of New Rochelle also encourages programs and services that

support job training and help low- and moderate-income entrepreneurs start and run

successful businesses and promotes downtown revitalization and economic development

efforts.

In review of general public services available in New Rochelle, there are no apparent

impediments in the quality of services provided and facilities available to all residents. The

Department of Public Works provides and maintains the City’s physical facilities. The

Department provides municipal engineering; traffic engineering; maintenance, repair, and

construction of sewers and drains; cleaning of streets and highways; collection and disposal

of refuse; collection and disposal of recyclable material; maintenance, repair, construction,

reconstruction, and resurfacing of streets; maintenance of traffic devices; installation and

maintenance of street lights; maintenance of City-owned trees; removal of ice and snow from

public thoroughfares; leaf and yard waste removal and disposal; maintenance of City-owned

buildings, structures and properties; and maintenance of City vehicles other than fire trucks.

These services are provided on a citywide basis and are available to residents of all income

levels.

There are also many parks and recreational facilities that are available and accessible to all

residents. The City has approximately 21 parks available citywide.

E M P L O Y M E N T , T R A N S P O R T A T I O N , A N D H O U S I N G

The relationship between place of employment and accessible transportation can play a major

role in housing choice. The five major employers in the City of New Rochelle include the

New Rochelle City School District, Sound Shore Medical Center, the City of New Rochelle,



Iona College, and the College of New Rochelle. According to City-Data.com, there are 8,441

workers who live and work in the City of New Rochelle. There is a daytime population

change of approximately -11,184 or -15.5% in New Rochelle due to commuting. The Transit

Center on North Avenue is the main transportation hub in New Rochelle. The Transit

Center has a parking garage for over 900 vehicles and offers quick Metro-North train service

to New York City and Amtrak service to Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C. It also

houses a bus terminal, accommodating as many as 300 buses per day, and offers taxi and

airport limousine service.

Much of the City’s public and assisted housing is located with easy access to the Transit

Center by the Westchester Bee Line Bus or is within walking distance. The City’s good

linkage between affordable housing, transportation , and its major employers provide a wider

housing choice for lower income groups since they are not restricted to housing adjacent to

heavily congested and blighted areas close to the Transit Center.

Figure 4-1 shows the employment, transportation and assisted housing linkage in New

Rochelle and Figure 4-2 shows assisted housing in New Rochelle and assisted housing that

rents to families with children and disabled persons.



F I G U R E 4 -1 E M P L O Y M E N T / T R A N S P O R T A T I O N / A S S I S T E D H O U S I N G

R E L A T I O N S H I P



F I G U R E 4 -2 L O C A T I O N O F C H O I C E



P U B L I C H O U S I N G P O L I C I E S

The City of New Rochelle works to maximize its available resources to address the needs of

its low-income citizens, including those households that are served by the New Rochelle

Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA) and the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher

program managed primarily by the City.

The NRMHA is a public governmental agency established under New York State law. It is

the policy of the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority to comply fully with the Title

VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title VIII and Section III of the Civil Rights Act of 1968

(as amended), Executive Order 11063, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the

Age Discrimination Act of 1975.

The operations of the Housing Authority are subject to all applicable state laws, including the

Open Meetings Act and state procurement requirements. All meetings of the NRMHA are

pursuant to public notice and are open to the public. Policy for the NRMHA is set by the

seven-member Board of Commissioners.

The City of New Rochelle currently has 1,883 public and assisted housing units. New

Rochelle’s public housing program is primarily operated by the NRMHA. The NRMHA

owns and manages 543 family and senior housing units. The Hartley Houses and Peter B.

Bracey Apartments contain 340 units and the senior housing of La Rochelle Manor and

Queen City Towers contain 203 units. New Rochelle has developed an extensive inventory

of assisted housing funded by various HUD programs, and these units include 1,003 family

units, 752 units for the elderly, and 16 units for the disabled. The New Rochelle

Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NRNRC) also owns and develops subsidized

units throughout the City.

The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program is administered by the City of New

Rochelle’s Section 8 Program and provides portable vouchers that assist low-income

households with housing costs. The goals of the Section 8 Program are to promote adequate

and affordable housing, economic opportunity and a suitable living environment free from

discrimination; provide or attract supportive services to improve recipients’ employability;

and to improve customer satisfaction. There are currently 900 families receiving housing

choice vouchers in New Rochelle and there are 900 families on the waiting list. Length of

time on the waiting list depends on available vouchers.

Homeownership

Public housing residents and Section 8 recipients are provided with homeownership

information and opportunities through several activities in the City: the Family Self-

Sufficiency Program, the City’s homebuyer projects, and the Hartley House Redevelopment

Project.



The City’s Section 8 Office collaborates with the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority

by providing funding for the operation of the Family Self- Sufficiency (FSS) Program. The

FSS coordinator’s office is located at 50 Sickles Avenue, New Rochelle, the main office of the

New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority. Approximately 36 Section 8 households

participate in the program annually. Participants also earn escrow funds which may provide a

down payment for purchase of a home in the future.

The City of New Rochelle notifies public housing residents of first-time home buyer

opportunities whenever any of its HOME-funded homeownership projects are completed.

Recent projects have included the Lincoln Condominium and the West End Townhomes.

The redevelopment by the NRMHA of Hartley Houses on Horton Avenue will include

homeownership opportunities for its residents. This project will require phased demolition of

240 rental units and tenant relocation prior to construction. The NRMHA meets regularly

with the Resident Advisory Board Members of Hartley House to discuss the project

timetable and present the proposed redevelopment plan. The project is expected to result in a

mix of rental and homebuyer town homes. The NRMHA has selected a co-developer and is

preparing a demolition and disposition application intended to be submitted to HUD in

2008. Construction on the first phase is expected to begin in October 2008 or March 2009 on

Hartley Field, a vacant parcel of land formerly owned by the City. To date no HOPE VI

funds have been awarded to NRMHA for this project since the project is still in the pre-

development stage.

Resident Initiatives in Management of Public Housing

Public housing residents are involved in the management of the New Rochelle Municipal

Housing Authority through the United Tenants Council, which includes residents of Hartley

House, Bracey House, 50 Sickles Avenue and 111 Lockwood Avenue. This group meets

every three months with the NRMHA Board of Directors to discuss issues pertaining to

building maintenance and address quality of life problems.

Hartley House Complex (Horton Ave.)

Currently, the NRMHA does not have a Section 504 Voluntary Compliance Agreement to

increase the number of accessible units since the properties it manages is in compliance with

regard to the minimum housing units and parking spaces that are required by the law. Upon

completion of the Hartley House Redevelopment, the newly constructed townhomes will be

in compliance with federal ADA requirements as applicable.

The New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority is classified as “troubled” by HUD under

24 CFR Part 902; however, a Memorandum of Agreement has been executed between the

NRMHA and HUD which has a two-year timetable to address the issues of governance,

organization and staffing, finance and procurement, property maintenance, resident



initiatives, capital funds, security, and management information systems. Quarterly reports are

submitted to HUD which describe the NRMHA’s accomplishments and actions regarding

each operational area. The Memorandum of Agreement will expire during 2009 and with

HUD approval, the “troubled” status will be removed.

The NRMHA partners with several City-operated departments in order to improve the self-

sufficiency, safety, and quality of life for Hartley House residents as follows:

• The Office for the Aging provides senior computer literacy and case management

services.

• The New Rochelle Youth Bureau will institute anti-violence programs for the youth at

Hartley House in 2008.

• The City School District provides on-site after-school programs at Hartley House.

• The New Rochelle Police Department has executed a Memorandum of Agreement

for two dedicated police officers at Hartley House as well as the stationing of “satellite

precinct” van at the complex.

Bracey Apartments (345-361 Main Street)

Due to the limited resources available from HUD and the City, the NRMHA has reached out

to the institutional sector of the City and has developed a partnership with Monroe College

and the City School District. Computer training and after-school programs are provided to

Bracey residents. The NRMHA is continuing to seek out additional funding and partners for

programs and services at this complex.

Coordination of Resources between the City and the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority

The City will initiate regular meetings with officials of the NRMHA to discuss mutual needs,

resources and services in order to better maximize and coordinate the provision of each other

agencies’ programs and services to the low- and very low-income families, seniors, and

disabled persons in New Rochelle.

D I S P L A C E M E N T

The City of New Rochelle, in conjunction with NRNRC, undertook the West End 2000

Affordable Housing Development project, which was a $60 million residential development

program that included construction of a 102-unit affordable senior complex and 25 single

family town homes. The units constructed will remain affordable for at least twenty years as

required through the grant programs that provided financing. This project included the



acquisition of residential and commercial property, causing displacement and relocation of

homeowners, tenants, and businesses. Forty-two units were removed and replaced with a

total of 168 units and a plan was developed to assist displaced persons.

The NRMHA is also involved in pre-development activities for the redevelopment of the

Hartley House complex. The redevelopment is intended to reduce minority concentration by

providing a choice in new location to current residents of two of the buildings to be

demolished in preparation for construction of new affordable townhouses. Residents are

able to use their relocation benefits to obtain housing in other communities or other parts of

New Rochelle. The goal of the Hartley House redevelopment is to create a mixed-income

development that would attract persons of other racial backgrounds to purchase affordable

housing in the complex in an effort to reduce minority concentration.

T A X P O L I C I E S

To the extent permitted by New York State laws, incorporated governmental units in the

State of New York are permitted to exempt real property taxation, enhancing the

affordability of housing for residents. The City of New Rochelle’s tax policies in Chapter 288

of the municipal codes uphold the provision of affordable housing for protected groups,

including senior citizens and persons with disabilities, and also encourage fair and affordable

housing for low-income persons.

According to Chapter 288: Taxation, Article I of New Rochelle’s municipal code and

pursuant to §467 of the New York Real Property Tax Law, real property owned by one or

more persons, each of whom is 65 years of age or over, or real property owned by husband

and wife, one of whom is 65 years of age or over, shall be exempt from City taxation by the

City of New Rochelle to the extent of 50 percent of the assessed valuation of the property.

This ordinance helps to keep housing affordable for senior citizens.

Article II (Tax Abatement for Rent-Controlled and Rent-Regulated Property Occupied by

Senior Citizens or Persons with Disabilities) provides taxation exemptions on property

depending on income. Tax exemptions are prorated based on income, with lower-income

households receiving the largest exemptions. The inclusion of this ordinance helps assist

low- and moderate-income persons in obtaining affordable housing.

Articles III and VI include tax exemptions to accommodate the physically disabled and those

with limited incomes, and Article IV offers a tax exemption for veterans.

In addition, the State of New York allows exemption from taxation under Real Property Tax

Law Section 414 for public housing and publicly assisted housing.



B O A R D S A N D C O M M I S S I O N S

Article X of Chapter 9 (§ 9-40) establishes a Commission on Human Rights (adopted

December 7, 1976). The Commission on Human Rights was established to foster mutual

respect and understanding among all racial, religious, and nationality groups within the City;

perform research related to relationships in the community that may affect human rights;

inquire into incidents of tension and conflict among or between various racial, religious, and

nationality groups; to take action to alleviate such tension and conflict; and conduct and

recommend educational programs that will increase goodwill among residents and open

various opportunities to all City residents.

New Rochelle has also established a Site Selection Committee to aid in selecting and

recommending suitable sites for the location of community residential facilities for the

developmentally disabled.

Article XVIII established a temporary Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing and

Illegal Occupancy for the purpose of reporting to and advising the City Council with respect

to possible measures and programs to increase the number of affordable housing units

available to New Rochelle residents, to determine the extent of illegal conversions and illegal

occupancies in the City, and to assess the effectiveness of current enforcement mechanisms

such as the City’s Housing Code Inspection Unit. This ordinance helps to support affordable

housing in New Rochelle.

Overall, the Boards and Commissions established by the City of New Rochelle seem to

provide adequate protection for residents.

B U I L D I N G C O D E C O M P L I A N C E

All permitting and building code information provided for in Chapter 111 of the New

Rochelle municipal codes upholds the idea of decent, safe, and sanitary housing.

The Bureau of Buildings is the primary department for handling building code compliance

and code enforcement in New Rochelle. The Bureau of Buildings Department enforces state

and local codes relating to properties and buildings to assure the protection of life and

property and to enhance the quality of life for New Rochelle residents. The bureau assists in

zoning, planning, land use, and environmental matters and serves as staff to the Zoning,

Planning, Sign Appeal Review, and Standards and Appeals Boards.

The Deputy Commissioner/Building Official is responsible for all functions of the Bureau,

from providing information and applications to the public to enforcing the City’s Zoning

Ordinance, Building Code, Land Regulations and Sign Ordinances. The Bureau also reviews

plans and specifications for code compliance as part of the process to issue building permits



and certificates of occupancy. According to Chapter 174 of the municipal code, the Building

Official is also designated as the code enforcement officer and is responsible for enforcement

of the housing code.

The City also has a Senior Housing Inspector responsible for all functions of the Housing

Code Enforcement Unit. The Housing Inspector enforces various building code provisions,

including the Environmental Protection Ordinance, and is responsible for all investigations

pertaining to quality of life issues received from the City Manager's Office or citizens. The

Housing Inspector performs and assigns residential and commercial inspections, investigates

and prosecutes all violators of the City and State codes, and issues and serves criminal court

summonses.

A C C E S S I B I L I T Y

As of March 6, 1991, the Department of Housing and Urban Development adopted Fair

Housing Accessibility Guidelines to provide builders and developers with technical guidance

on how to comply with the specific accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing

Amendments Act of 1988. Westchester County and the City of New Rochelle are committed

to ensuring fair and accessible housing in the community.

In 2005, Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) conducted an accessible housing

survey. WRO surveyed more than 700 residential buildings to determine their degree of

accessibility for individuals with mobility impairments. WRO continued to survey over 400

additional buildings of 20 or more units in 2007. These efforts revealed that persons with

physical disabilities face a severely restricted housing selection. The study focused on the

four major cities of Westchester County, including White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon,

and New Rochelle. Twenty-three percent of the buildings surveyed were given a “good

access” rating, with good, adequate, limited and no access being the four ratings. Forty

percent of the buildings could be made more accessible through minor renovations. Seventy-

seven percent had some type of access problem cited and 70 percent did not have wheelchair

access.

The 2005 Accessible Building Survey included ninety-eight buildings in New Rochelle.

According to the access ratings above, 47 buildings in New Rochelle were accessible. Of the

47 accessible buildings, three had an overall rating of “good” accessibility and forty-four had

a rating of “adequate” accessibility.

Combining the 2005 and 2007 Accessible Buildings Surveys, a total of 232 buildings were

surveyed in New Rochelle. The total overall access rating for New Rochelle is shown in the

table below.



T A B L E 4 - 2 A C C E S S I B L E H O U S I N G S U R V E Y 2 0 05 A N D 20 07

O V E R A L L A C C E S S R A T I N G S F O R N E W R O C H E L L E

Good Access Adequate Access Limited Access No Access Total Buildings

54 13 80 85 232

23% 6% 34% 37% 100%

Recommendations for furthering efforts for accessibility that resulted from the survey

include:

• Survey the remaining multi-family dwellings;

• Provide outreach and education efforts to disability-related groups, individuals, and

case managers; and

• Publicize the database and make available to all in hopes of raising awareness.

PRIVATE SECTOR

L E N D I N G P O L I C I E S A N D P R A C T I C E S

Availability and affordability of financing on a non-discriminatory basis is critical to fair

housing choice. Government policies and procedures that regulate, monitor, or otherwise

impact rental, sales, and property insurance practices play a significant role in promoting fair

housing choice.

The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) was enacted by Congress in 1975 and is

implemented by the Federal Reserve Board’s Regulation C. The information collected by

HMDA is provided by public lending institutions and is intended to make available public

loan data that can be used for the following purposes:

• To help determine whether financial institutions are serving the housing needs of

their communities;

• To assist public officials in distributing public-sector investment so as to attract

private investment to areas where it is needed; and

• To assist in identifying possible discriminatory lending patterns and enforcing anti-

discrimination statutes.



The HMDA requires lenders to disclose home mortgage and home improvement lending

transactions. This data was analyzed for New Rochelle and the table below consists of the

aggregated disposition of loan applications by location of property and type of loan. There

are several categories that are covered by the HMDA. The home loans categories include

FHA, FSA/RHS & VA, conventional, refinancing, home improvement loans, and loans on

dwellings for 5 or more families. Table 4-3 below demonstrates aggregate mortgage loan

applications in 2006 for New Rochelle. Appendix C includes the data tables used to calculate

the information in this section by census tract for New Rochelle.

T A B L E 4 - 3 H M D A A G G R E G A T E L O A N A P P L I C A T I O N S F O R

N E W R O C H E L L E

FHA,

FRS/RHS & VA

Conventional Refinancing Home

Improvement

Loans on Dwellings for 5 or more families

# $000’s # $000’s # $000’s # $000’s # $000’s

Loans Originated

868 308,101 729 246,279 138 24,067 19 28,487

Approved, Not Accepted

1 290 139 49,101 169 65,619 32 3,920 1 480

Applications Denied

328 109,652 418 165,817 104 14,416 1 1,250

Applications Withdrawn

154 52,659 319 113,391 20 5,508

Files closed for incompleteness

47 18,832 75 27,440 7 2,435

Total 1 290 1,536 538,345 1,710 618,546 301 50,346 21 30,227

In 2006 (the most recent data available) in the City of New Rochelle, a total of one home was

approved but not accepted through the FHA, FSA/RHS and VA. The loan request was for

$290,000.

There were a total of 1,536 conventional loan applications that amounted to $538 million.

The average loan request was $350,485. Of the total conventional loans, 868 that were

originated, 139 were approved but not accepted, 328 were denied, 154 were withdrawn, and

47 were closed for incompleteness.

Refinancing loan applications totaled 1,710. The total amount of all the loans was $619

million, with an average loan request of 361,722. Of the total refinancing loans, 729 were

originated, 169 were approved but not accepted, 418 were denied, 319 applications were

withdrawn, and 75 were closed for incompleteness.



Home improvement loan applications totaled 301. The total amount of all the loans equaled

$50 million, with an average loan request of $167,262. Of the total home improvement loans,

138 were originated, 32 were approved but not accepted, 104 were denied, 20 applications

were withdrawn, and 7 were closed for incompleteness.

There were a total of 21 loan applications for dwellings for five or more families; these

totaled about $30 million. The average loan request was $1.4 million. Of the total loan

requests, 19 were originated, one was approved but not accepted, and one was denied.

Table 4-4 demonstrates mortgage insurance loans from private mortgage insurance

companies in New Rochelle for 2006, which is the most recent HMDA data available.

T A B L E 4 - 4 H M D A A G G R E G A T E I N S U R A N C E L O A N S F O R


FHA,

FRS/RHS & VA

Conventional Refinancing Home

Improvement

Loans on Dwellings for 5 or more families

# $000’s # $000’s # $000’s # $000’s # $000’s

Loans Insured - - 95 21,439 6 2,592 - - - -

Approved, Not Accepted

- - 24 9,410 1 417 - - - -

Applications Denied

- - 1 110 1 86 - - - -

Applications Withdrawn

- - 4 845 1 466 - - - -

Files closed for incompleteness

- - 1 238 - - - - - -

Total - - 125 32,042 9 3,561 - - - -

In 2006, there were no FHA, FRS/RHS & VA loans.

There were a total of 125 conventional loan applications that amounted to $32 million. The

average loan request was $256,336. Of the total conventional loan applications, there were

95 that were insured, 24 that were approved but not accepted, one that was denied, four

applications withdrawn, and one that was closed for incompleteness.

There were 9 refinancing loan applications. The total amount of all the loans was $3.6

million, with an average loan request of $395,666. Of the total refinancing loans, there were



six that were insured, one that were approved but not accepted, one that were denied, and

one application withdrawn.

There were no home improvement loans insured or loans on dwellings for 5 or more

families.

Since the HMDA data was only available for metropolitan cities, further analysis of denial

rates by race was not available at the City level. A survey of private banks lending procedures

and practices was conducted in an attempt to gain a broad determination of any lending

discrimination.

R E A L E S T A T E M A R K E T F A C T O R S

In reviewing ownership opportunities, the Westchester County Board of Realtors reported

that the median sale price for the first quarter of 2007 was $635,000, down from $650,000 in

the first quarter of 2006. In the first quarter of 2007, 1,044 single family homes were sold,

including 319 condominiums, 423 cooperatives, and 141 two- to five-family units. The total

number of sales increased from 1,823 to 1,927, as compared to the first quarter of 2006.

Conversely, for the second quarter in a row, single-family median home prices in Westchester

County posted a year-to-year decline, though the mean sale price was up approximately three

percent. This suggests that the high-end market was the strongest. Twenty-one percent of

Westchester County houses sold for $1 million or more.

The median sales price of a condominium in Westchester County in 2007 was $392,000,

nearly nine percent more than in 2006. Cooperatives reported a seven percent increase in

price, reaching a median of $185,000. The data reported by the Westchester County Board

of Realtors indicates a market that was in transition as both buyers and sellers adjusted their

strategies for dealing with the slowdown in sales and decline in prices.

For rental housing trends countywide, Westchester County Residential Opportunities

reported a slight decline in rental rates in 2006, although the cost of a one-bedroom unit

increased slightly. The average residential rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $1,270. A

two-bedroom apartment was $1,645, and a three-bedroom apartment rent averaged $2,031.

This represents a $10 increase in rent for one-bedroom apartments, a $14 decrease for two-

bedroom apartments, and a $46 decrease for three-bedroom apartments from 2005. In the

fourth quarter of 2006, 3,361 units were advertised for rent. This was down from 4,238 units

in 2005.

According to the 2005 Westchester County Data Book, which uses 2000 Census information,

New Rochelle had a vacancy rate of 2.9 percent with 806 vacant units. As for-sale home

prices have increased significantly since the 2000 Census, beyond the affordability range of

low- and moderate-income households in New Rochelle, there was greater upward pressure

on rents, especially given the already low vacancy rate.



S U B P R I M E L E N D I N G

A rapid increase in subprime mortgage lending can pose a serious threat to the housing

market and the financial stability of communities, especially where such lending has been

disproportionately provided in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods. Many subprime

loans have interest-only payments or adjustable interest rates, which attract homebuyers but

often eventually lead to payments that are unaffordable for many borrowers.

Because the interest rates of subprime mortgage loans are higher than those of prime loans,

and because these rates are adjustable over time, many subprime borrowers eventually pay

substantially more for their loans than prime borrowers. Subprime loans appeal to low-

income households due to lenders’ willingness to loan to customers with poor credit history.

Homeowners with subprime loans are increasingly forced into foreclosure, with negative

impacts on low-income households and neighborhoods. Given that low-income households

have been a significant portion of the recent subprime lending market, as foreclosures

increase and homes cannot be resold due to the downturn in the for-sale market, homes in

low-income neighborhoods may be abandoned. Cities also suffer as a result of subprime

lending, due to the loss of property tax revenue, and the potential for neglected properties to

create law and code enforcement problems.

H O U S I N G M A R K E T S U M M A R Y

As the cost of housing rises nationwide, finding affordable housing in Westchester County

and the City of New Rochelle continues to be a challenge. Though there has been a decrease

in single-family home prices from 2006 to 2007, the high-end market remained the strongest,

with 21 percent of homes selling for $1 million or more. This market makes it difficult for

low- and moderate-income families to achieve homeownership. Condominium and

cooperative sale prices increased from 2006 to 2007, suggesting a market in transition after a

2006 slowdown. There was also a slight decline in rental rates in Westchester County;

however, the availability of units also declined, indicating a higher demand for affordable

housing.

Based on a housing allowance of 30 percent of gross income, Westchester County rental rates

require an income of $50,800 to afford a one-bedroom apartment and $65,800 to rent a two-

bedroom apartment. With very low- and low-income levels in New Rochelle ranging from

$27,757 to $44,410, the rental rates in Westchester County make it hard for low-income

families to find suitable housing.



PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR

F A I R H O U S I N G E N F O R C E M E N T

The City of New Rochelle has been actively involved in enforcing fair housing through

various grant programs, fair housing organizations including non-profit organizations and

also through public policy.

Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) acts as the lead Fair Housing Agency for

Westchester County, including New Rochelle. WRO responds to complaints of housing

discrimination by investigating, testing, negotiating, mediating, and litigating using a panel of

cooperating attorneys, and they also provide education for consumers and train professionals

and co-op boards.

WRO has conducted testing of real estate agents, mortgage lenders, and landlords to assure

that fair housing practices are being followed and to document instances of discrimination in

fair housing. WRO conducted a “paired testing” from July 2004 through February 2005 in

selected Westchester communities to determine if minorities were treated differently than

whites as they approached real estate agencies for rental housing. The results revealed that

almost half (48 percent) of the real estate offices tested exhibited race-based housing

discrimination. WRO conducted 58 tests of 25 real estate offices and unequal treatment

based on race or national origin or other violations of fair housing laws was found in 27 of

the 58 tests or 46 percent of the tests conducted. The real estate offices tested showed

properties in Eastchester Area (lower Westchester), the River Towns Area of Hastings,

Dobbs Ferry, and Irvington, and Mount Pleasant Area (mid-northern Westchester). Though

these tests were not performed in New Rochelle, the results uncovered sufficient problems

worthy of recommending a program of ongoing testing in the same and additional

communities to evaluate how widespread these problems are in the County.

WRO is committed to providing remedies to fair housing discrimination and takes action

against any cases identified. WRO will continue to enforce fair housing by reporting cases to

the Attorney General so that legal action may take place. WRO also files complaints with the

Department of Housing and Urban Development and will also contact the firms and attempt

to conciliate the matter. All referred cases where a Realtor is involved, WRO will inform the

Westchester County Board of Realtors of the action being taken. WRO will ask that any

penalties required by the Attorney General or HUD include mandatory training of staff in

fair housing law and practice and will also urge firms whose practices were questionable to

participate in fair housing training.

The Westchester County Board of Realtors has advised its members that the New York State

Department of State has passed a new law that requiring any agent who is obtaining a new

license or renewing their license as of July 1, 2008 to take a Fair Housing education class as



part of their certification. This requirement will provide additional enforcement of the

federal Fair Housing Act by New Rochelle’s real estate brokers and agents. They will be

educated about subtle forms of discriminatory practices and the penalties and fines for non-

compliance.

The City of New Rochelle also enforces fair housing through the Community Development

Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Program.

Through these programs the City is required to affirmatively further fair housing and has

been actively involved in the preparation of the Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing

Choice (AI). The City collaborates with many organizations providing public services in New

Rochelle to assure that any discriminatory housing practices are eliminated, and these

agencies include the New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NRNRC), the

New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA), Westchester Residential

Opportunities (WRO), and the Section 8 Program.

The City of New Rochelle, in conjunction with the NRNRC, a non-profit agency, has made

efforts in recent years to increase the affordable housing available in the City. NRNRC is an

established developer, owner, and manager of affordable housing in New Rochelle. NRNRC

has completed several affordable housing projects through its CHDO, the New Rochelle

Community Housing Development Corporation. The development of these affordable

housing projects resulted in the construction or renovation of over 600 rental units

affordable to low- and very low-income households. The developments are valued at $76.5

million and generate hundreds of thousands of dollars of tax revenue annually.

The City of New Rochelle has also adopted an affordable housing ordinance on March 21,

2006. This ordinance states that each residential application that proposes the construction

of more than 10 dwelling units of rental housing shall provide a floor area set-aside for

moderate-income residents. The floor area will comprise at least 10 percent of the floor area

devoted to rental housing in the residential development. If the developers decide to opt out

of building the affordable units on-site, then the builder must pay a fee determined by a

payment schedule set forth in the New Rochelle City Code. Funds collected will be used for

acquisition of land suitable for the construction of low- and moderate-income housing units,

construction of low-and moderate-income housing units, rehabilitation of existing low- and

moderate-income housing units, and/or direct assistance to persons purchasing moderate-

income housing units.

Additionally, the City of New Rochelle’s municipal and zoning codes have been developed in

a way to protect fair housing choice. The zoning codes have an inclusionary housing focus,

requiring affordable housing with new developments and providing numerous senior citizen

zones, affordable housing floating zones, and lower parking ratios for senior and affordable

housing. Public sector policies provide more protection for Section 8 tenants as well.

Portability and building codes offer tenants more choice.



I N F O R M A T I O N A L P R O G R A M S

Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) is the lead agency providing information and

education to the public on fair housing. WRO is dedicated to fair housing for all and

provides educational information about fair housing rights on their website at

http://www.wroinc.org/ and also provides a Guide to Fair Housing and a Fair Housing

Complaint Form. On their website, WRO defines fair housing and provides public

information on fair housing rights. WRO also provides information on how to make a fair

housing complaint, where to find more information on fair housing, and where and when to

attend fair housing workshops or expos. WRO posts information and articles regarding

lending practices, average rent reports, and a fair and affordable housing newsletter.

Fair housing education takes place at Homebuying Expos, Countywide events, and

specialized workshops. Workshops are developed to educate renters in their rights and

responsibilities.

WRO also offers training for professionals and co-op boards. The Fair Housing Program

sponsors fair housing seminars for advocates, real estate professionals, and other housing

professionals. Seminars are held for staff and clients at non-profit agencies throughout

Westchester and Putnam Counties, and agents call WRO daily concerning individual fair

housing situations, thus averting many fair housing complaints. WRO offers consultation

services to housing professionals on fair housing issues.

WRO has been successful in reaching out to and educating eight real estate agent offices in

New Rochelle and training 150 agents during 2007. The training for these realtors takes place

in offices throughout Westchester and Putnam Counties and lessons concentrate on

situations agents encounter every day. The organization continues efforts to reach more

offices and reach others in the business community, as well as concerned residents.

WRO also refers the public to links on local fair housing programs and campaigns. The

“Don’t Borrow Trouble” Westchester Campaign is an initiative aimed at educating the public

about predatory lending practices in Westchester County, and preventing foreclosure for

those who have fallen victim to financial hardships. The campaign seeks to educate families

and individuals about how to avoid predatory lending scams and about available community

resources.

The City of New Rochelle is also actively involved in providing educational opportunities to

the public. Through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program and the

HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Program the City is required to affirmatively

further fair housing and must provide information in the Five-Year Consolidated Plan and

Annual Action Plan regarding fair housing. The City’s website also provides a link to the

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and provides educational information on the

program and how to access it. The City also posted a notice regarding April as being Fair



Housing month and provided information on what fair housing is, fair housing complaint

applications, and a HUD brochure on predatory lending. The Mayor of New Rochelle also

emphasized the City’s commitment to fair housing by reading a statement about the 40th

anniversary of the Fair Housing Act at the April 8, 2008 City Council meeting.

The City of New Rochelle also collaborates with fair housing organizations in raising fair

housing awareness and in efforts to reduce fair housing impediments, including:

• On-going funding and collaboration with Westchester Residential Opportunities for

counseling on fair housing, fair lending, and financial literacy to expand housing

choices and opportunities for families.

• Affirmative marketing requirements for the developer of 25 affordable townhomes

and 102 senior rental units in the West End project.

• Increase of 102 units of handicap-accessible rental units for seniors.

• Compilation of an inventory of handicap-accessible apartments in New Rochelle by

Westchester Residential Opportunities for posting on WRO’s and the City’s website

as a resource for housing.

• Initiation of the Residential Rehab Program will incorporate accessibility adaptations

where possible.

• Increased housing choices for families through partnership with Westchester County’s

Lead Abatement Program for owner-occupied units.

• A grant received directly from HUD under the Fair Housing Initiatives Program

(FHIP) by Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO) enabled this agency to

conduct an “Education and Outreach Program for Protected Classes” at City Hall to

government, non-profits, and realtors to make them aware of housing discrimination

violations and pertinent regulations.

• A Housing Forum for Older Adult Homeowners was conducted by Westchester

Residential Opportunities at the Hugh Doyle Senior Center to counsel them on senior

housing issues such as reverse mortgages and identity theft scams.

• First Home Club Workshops were held at City Hall by Westchester Residential

Opportunities to match down-payment savings which may enable families to move

from minority-concentrated neighborhoods.

• The City is currently updating its Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing to make

further strides in providing fair housing opportunities and education.



Additionally, on August 1, 2007 an amendment to section 441(3)(a) of the Real Property Law

was adopted by New York State requiring all real estate licensees renewing their license after

July 1, 2008 to have at least three hours of training in fair housing and/or discrimination in

the sale of or rental of real property.

V I S I T A B I L I T Y I N H O U S I N G

The “visitability” concept is a voluntary standard promoted by HUD in new construction and

existing properties. Visitablity means that at least one entrance is at grade (no step),

approached by an accessible route, such as a sidewalk and that the entrance doors and all

interior doors on the first floor are at least 34 inches wide, offering 32 inches of clear passage

space.

Garito Manor in New Rochelle is an example of compliance with HUD visitability standards.

Both entrances of this building are at grade with no step and are approached by an accessible

route. The entrance doors and all interior doors on the ground floor are at least 36 inches

wide.

In 2005, Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO), completed an Accessible Building

Survey (discussed in the Accessibility Section above) which focused on three focal points of

building access for existing buildings including building entrance, exterior route, and

common areas. A total of 98 buildings in New Rochelle were assessed. The results of this

survey shown below in Table 4-5 help to better understand the “visitability” of buildings in

New Rochelle.

T A B L E 4 - 5 B U I L D I N G A C C E S S I B I L I T Y / V I S I T A B I L I T Y I N


Building Entrance Exterior Route Common Areas

Accessible 47 79 71

Inaccessible N/A 19 27

Inaccessible Minor 18 N/A N/A

Inaccessible Major 33 N/A N/A

The City of New Rochelle understands the importance of “visitability” and is committed to

incorporating policies to enhance visitability in the community.

V. ASSESSMENT OF PRV. ASSESSMENT OF PRV. ASSESSMENT OF PRV. ASSESSMENT OF PROGRAMS OGRAMS OGRAMS OGRAMS

AND ACTIVITIESAND ACTIVITIESAND ACTIVITIESAND ACTIVITIES

V. A

ssessment of P

rograms

V. A

ssessment of P

rograms

V. A

ssessment of P

rograms

V. A

ssessment of P

rograms

and Activities

and Activities

and Activities

and Activities

V . A S S E S S M E N T O F P R O G R A M S A N D A C T I V I T I E S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE V-1

HOME INVESTMENT PARTNERSHIPS PROGRAM (HOME)

HOME is authorized under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing

Act, as amended. HOME is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments

designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Approximately

$2 billion is allocated annually among the states and hundreds of localities nationwide. The

program was designed to reinforce several important values and principles of community

development:

• HOME's flexibility empowers people and communities to design and implement

strategies tailored to their own needs and priorities.

• HOME's emphasis on consolidated planning expands and strengthens partnerships

among all levels of government and the private sector in the development of

affordable housing.

• HOME's technical assistance activities and set-aside for qualified community-based

nonprofit housing groups builds the capacity of these partners.

The HOME program offers a broad range of eligible activities. Funds can be used to provide

home purchase or rehabilitation financing assistance to eligible homeowners and new

homebuyers; the construction or rehabilitation of housing for rent or ownership; or for

"other reasonable and necessary expenses related to the development of non-luxury

housing," including site acquisition or improvement, demolition of dilapidated housing to

make way for HOME-assisted development, and payment of relocation expenses. PJs may

use HOME funds to provide tenant-based rental assistance contracts of up to 2 years if such

activity is consistent with their Consolidated Plan and justified under local market conditions.

Recipients of HOME funds must meet the HUD requirements for fair housing laws. The

HOME program regulation states the statutory requirement from the Comprehensive

Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) that the jurisdictions must affirmatively further fair

housing. As part of the HUD application process for HOME funds the City signed an

assurance committing the locality to:

• Maximizing choice within the community’s total housing supply;

• Lessening racial, ethnic, and economic concentrations of housing;

• Facilitating desegregation and racially inclusive patterns of occupancy and use of

public facilities; and



• Administering the HOME Program in a manner to affirmatively further fair housing.

New Rochelle is a PJ for HOME funds. The City receives HOME entitlement funds annually

to be used to promote affordable housing in the City through activities such as owner-

occupied housing rehabilitation and construction of new affordable units.

Housing goals that the City has identified in the Consolidated Plan include:

• Provide affordable housing for low-income persons and families;

• Increase homeownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income persons;

• Provide affordable senior housing;

• Rehabilitation of existing housing stock.

The City plans to fund the following housing program through the HOME program during

the 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan period. This program is designed to enhance the

effectiveness of the City’s housing goals for target-income residents. Home funds are

intended to provide funding for land acquisition and construction costs to assist with the

construction of affordable housing and provide home ownership opportunities for low

income residents.

R E S I D E N T I A L R E H A B I L I T A T I O N P R O G R A M

The Residential Rehabilitation Program is designed to assist with the rehabilitation of low- to

moderate- income owner-occupied housing, with preference to seniors, to increase the supply

of decent affordable housing in New Rochelle.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK PROGRAM (CDBG)

The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program is a flexible program that

provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community

development needs. Beginning in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest

continuously run programs at HUD. The CDBG program provides annual grants on a

formula basis to 1,180 general units of local government and States.

The CDBG Program was created by Title I of the Housing and Community Development

Act of 1974 and has been a source of versatile and comprehensive funding to help small

cities and rural areas meet their economic, housing, and community development needs.

CDBG funds may be used for activities which include, but are not limited to:



• Acquisition of real property;

• Relocation and demolition;

• Rehabilitation of residential and non-residential structures;

• Construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer

facilities, streets, neighborhood centers, and the conversion of school buildings for

eligible purposes;

• Public services, within certain limits;

• Activities relating to energy conservation and renewable energy resources; and

• Provision of assistance to profit-motivated businesses to carry out economic

development and job creation/retention activities.

The CDBG program contains a regulatory requirement to affirmatively further fair housing

based upon HUD’s obligation under Section 808 of the Fair Housing Act. The CDBG

regulation also reflects the CDBG statutory requirement that the grantees certify that they

will affirmatively further fair housing. For the purpose of the CDBG program, HUD defines

“Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing” as requiring a grantee to:

• Conduct an analysis to identify impediments to fair housing choice within the

jurisdiction;

• Take appropriate actions to overcome the effects of any impediments identified

through the analysis; and

• Maintain records reflecting the analysis and actions taken in this regard.


Rochelle was in May 2001. This document will serve as the updated Analysis of

Impediments in accordance with HUD requirements of 24 CFR 570.904(c)(1) for

Entitlement CDBG grantees of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The City is committed to eliminating discriminatory practices in housing opportunities for all

protected groups identified under the fair housing laws and continues to be committed to

furthering fair housing within its jurisdiction. This Analysis of Impediments will coincide

with the City of New Rochelle’s 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan.

The City’s community development goals include:

• Promote community and downtown revitalization in target areas;



• Provide improvements to public facilities and infrastructure in target areas;

• Support recreational services and park improvements; and

• Encourage the provision of services to assist target-income individuals and families,

including those with special needs, seniors, and youth.

Neighborhood revitalization and the provision of good service are essential to fair housing

choice. In many communities, the quality or extent of public services and facilities vary

dramatically among residential neighborhoods. Lower-income, densely-populated residential

areas often lack the level and array of services that are provided in less impacted, more

affluent neighborhoods.

The City plans to fund the following activities through the CDBG program during the 2008-

2012 Consolidated Plan period. These programs are designed to enhance the effectiveness of

the City’s community development goals for target-income residents and improve

neighborhood environments.

I N F R A S T R U C T U R E I M P R O V E M E N T S

The City expects to fund street improvements including street lighting, curbs, gutters, and

sidewalks in target areas. Infrastructure improvements will focus on revitalization of the

downtown and will provide a safer environment.

F I R S T - T I M E H O M E B U Y E R S C O U N S E L I N G P R O G R A M

The City will fund a homeownership counseling program to assist target-income households

with the purchase of a home. The program will provide funding to target-income

households to provide first-time homebuyer preparation workshops.

H O M E L E S S S E R V I C E S

The City of New Rochelle will fund supportive services to help the homeless secure

permanent housing and maintain independent living. These services may include a food

pantry and soup kitchen, a self-sufficiency program, and a summer camp.

S E N I O R S E R V I C E S

The City will assist with the provision of senior services to its elderly. Such services may

include home-delivered meal programs, recreational programs, and outreach to potential

employers for senior citizens.



Y O U T H S E R V I C E S

The City will support a variety of youth services, especially recreation services for the

community’s target-income young people. These include educational programs, recreational

programs, job training and self-esteem improvement programs, and after-school programs.

D I S A B L E D S E R V I C E S

In order to help target-income persons with disabilities, the City will assist disabled youth by

providing matching funds for a therapeutic summer recreation program for profoundly

disabled persons between the ages of 5 and 21.

HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

The Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Rental Assistance Program provides vouchers to

very low- and extremely low-income households that are in need of housing, are potentially at

risk of becoming homeless, or have special needs, such as persons with HIV/AIDS.

Section 8 Rental Assistance provides affordable housing which can help many families move

more quickly to economic self-sufficiency. The additional assistance enables them to devote

scarce resources to other needed items.

WESTCHESTER RESIDENTIAL OPPORTUNIT IES “ACCESS TO HOME PROGRAM”

WRO’s “Access to Home Program” is a community collaborative to make houses and apartments

of low-income households significantly more accessible for persons in wheelchairs and with

other mobility impairment. Its focus is to reduce housing barriers that lead to nursing home

placement and to promote independent living.

Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. (WRO) is the lead agency, responsible for overall

program coordination. WRO works with property owners, both landlords and homeowners,

to approve proposed work and then contracts with local firms to make substantial home

improvements, such as widening doors; lowering kitchen cabinets; bathroom modifications;

upgrading exterior ramps; lifts and much more. Improvements usually have no cost to the

renter, homeowner, or landlord.

Westchester Independent Living Center and Westchester Disabled on the Move screen

applicants for eligibility and provide other necessary social services or case management to

maximize self-sufficiency.



The Westchester County Department of Planning inspects potential sites eligible for

accessibility modifications, outlines the scope of work, and monitors construction. They will

also identify other renovations needed for health and safety that could be achieved with

funding through their additional property improvement programs such as Restore, Lead Safe

Westchester, and other funding streams.

PROGRAMS ASSESSMENT CONCLUSION

Through the activities and programs listed above the City persists in its efforts to increase fair

housing in New Rochelle. Though the City is dedicated to increasing fair housing choice for

the entire community lack of funding, population growth, high cost of housing, and scarce

land can create fair housing barriers. The City will continue to coordinate efforts with local

public and private organizations to increase fair housing opportunities.

VI. C

onclusion and Recom

mendations

VI. C

onclusion and Recom

mendations

VI. C

onclusion and Recom

mendations

VI. C

onclusion and Recom

mendations

VI. CONCLUSION AND VI. CONCLUSION AND VI. CONCLUSION AND VI. CONCLUSION AND

RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS

V I . C O N C L U S I O N A N D R E C O M M E N D A T I O N S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE VI-1

The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires that all recipients that

receive federal funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME

Investment Partnerships (HOME) Programs take actions to affirmatively further fair

housing. This obligation includes conducting an analysis to identify impediments to fair

housing choice within the jurisdiction.

According to HUD, impediments to fair housing choice are:

• Any actions, omissions, or decisions taken because of race, color, religion, sex,

disability, familial status, or national origin that restrict housing choices or the

availability of housing choices.

• Any actions, omissions or decisions that have the effect of restricting housing

choices or the availability of housing choices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex,

disability, familial status, or national origin.

The City conducted a thorough review of current demographic data; all public sector laws,

regulations, ordinances, and policies; private sector lending policies and practices; fair

housing enforcement; informational programs; and visitability in housing in New Rochelle.

The analysis also included an assessment of the jurisdiction’s fair housing programs and

activities. The City consulted with several local fair housing organizations and also

conducted a fair housing survey which provided valuable input. Through the comprehensive

review and input received from the various bureaus and agencies, the City was able to identify

the impediments to fair housing choice in New Rochelle.

IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE

I M P E D I M E N T 1

Reluctance of landlords and large privately-owned apartment complexes to rent to

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher tenants.

Documentation

The Fair Housing Survey and Questionnaire conducted for the purpose of this AI revealed

that the Section 8 voucher situation is worthy of attention. Many voucher holders are unable

to find suitable housing because of a perception that Section 8 tenants are undesirable.

Recommendations for Continuation of Current Efforts and/or Commencement of New Corrective Actions

• Work with landlords and large, privately-owned apartment complexes to identify

misconceptions about the program and resources that will aid both tenants and



landlords to match Section 8 tenants with affordable units based on fair housing

criteria.

• Continue to distribute written material to landlords, tenants, and the general public

regularly through the Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO), the Section 8

office, the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA), New Rochelle

Realtors, and tenants’ associations in New Rochelle.

• Continue to send individual letters to Section 8 landlords of multi-family properties

encouraging their continued participation.

• Continue the Landlord-Tenant Information Program maintained by Westchester

Community Opportunity Program (WESCOP), located in the MLK Center at 95

Lincoln Avenue. Here, disputes are resolved through counseling and explanation of

regulations governing decent, safe, and sanitary housing and put into use before

grievances lead to evictions and court challenges. The office sees several hundred

tenants and landlords a year. They also have a grant from the Federal Emergency

Management Agency to stop evictions through a rollover loan program.

• Maintain participation in the county-wide Section 8 expos, which provide landlords

with information about the Section 8 program, highlight the financial advantages of

the Section 8 program, and dispel landlord fears of renting to Section 8 tenants.


Inadequate supply of affordable housing in New Rochelle.

Documentation

The median listing price in New Rochelle in 2008 is $725,000 and the average sale price is

$691,864, according to the Multiple Listing Service system.

Median fair market rent by bedroom size in New Rochelle (as calculated by HUD for 2008):

• Studio: $ 1,095

• One-bedroom: $ 1,306

• Two-bedroom: $ 1,519

• Three-bedroom: $ 1,832

As the cost of housing rises nationwide, finding affordable housing in Westchester County

and the City of New Rochelle continues to be a challenge. Though there has been a decrease

in single-family home prices from 2006 to 2007, the high-end market remained the strongest,



with 21 percent of homes selling for $1 million or more. This market makes it difficult for

low- and moderate-income families to achieve homeownership. Condominium and

cooperative sale prices increased from 2006 to 2007, suggesting a market in transition after a

2006 slowdown. There was also a slight decline in rental rates in Westchester County;

however, the availability of units also declined, indicating a higher demand for affordable

housing.

Recommendations for Continuation of Current Efforts and/or Commencement of New Corrective Actions

• Work with private developers to encourage developers to include affordable units.

• Determine locations for the development of affordable units and work with local

non-profits to acquire land for affordable units.

• Continue to work with local non-profits to encourage more development and

resources to build and maintain affordable housing in the community.

• Continue the Section 8 program and housing planning services to provide a variety

of affordable housing services.

• Enforce the inclusionary zoning policy adopted by the City which aids in the

development of affordable units.

• Enforce the Affordable Housing Ordinance adopted by the City on March 21, 2006.

• Continue actions to increase the supply of available units through the New

Rochelle’s Section 8 Office, which provides a total of 1,053 section 8 subsidies and

also through the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA), which

provides 130 households with rent subsidies to lower the cost burden and enable

these persons to have a wider range of housing choice. The portability of Section 8

vouchers enables subsidized renters to move to areas which may be less minority

concentrated.

• Continue efforts and collaborations on affordable housing and other fair housing

needs with Habitat for Humanity, Westchester Residential Opportunity (WRO),

New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation (NRNRC), New Rochelle

Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA), Westchester Community Opportunity

Program (WESCOP) – Tenant-Landlord Program, Westchester Jewish Community

Services, Westhab Inc., the Housing Action Council, and Westchester Disabled on

the Move.



• Continue the use of HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds to write down

the cost of housing construction to increase the supply and choice of affordable

housing.


Lack of available vacant land in New Rochelle to build affordable housing projects.

Documentation

New Rochelle is located in Westchester County and is about 16 miles from New York City.

New Rochelle is a suburban city of 10.4 square miles with a waterfront that stretches 9.3

miles. In 2000, the City had a population of 72,182 and has a high population density with

7,098 people per square mile.

New Rochelle’s Zoning Code defines 42 zoning districts divided into three classes: “fixed”

districts, overlay zones, and “floating” zones. The three fixed classes are residence, mixed

use, and commercial/industrial. Seven of the residential districts specifically permit multi-

family uses. One of the “floating” zones specifically permits the development of affordable

housing. The Affordable Housing Floating Zone (PUD-AH) yields a density of

approximately 25 units/acre.

Recommendations for Continuation of Current Efforts and /or Commencement of New Corrective Actions

• Continue efforts to determine locations for the development of affordable units and

work with local non-profits to acquire land for affordable units.

• Continue to track and keep record of available land.


Lack of accessible housing units for the disabled.

Documentation

The 2005 and 2007 Accessible Building Survey conducted by Westchester Residential

Opportunities (WRO) revealed that persons with disabilities face a severely restricted housing

selection. The Fair Housing Survey and Questionnaire conducted for the purpose of this AI

also revealed that the disabled population in Westchester County is very low-income and

there is not enough low-income housing available for the developmentally disabled,

emotionally disabled, or physically disabled.



There are insufficient numbers of accessible units to meet the demand, as 17 percent of the

population in New Rochelle has a disability.

Even when an accessible unit is available and advertised, it may be leased to non-disabled

tenants before a disabled person has had the chance to apply. There is no requirement that

public or private property owners reserve or hold open accessible units, or seek referrals

from agencies that provide services to people with disabilities.


• Market Articles, I, III, VI of Chapter 288, Taxation, of the Municipal Code that

implement tax exemptions for making adaptations to make a home more accessible

for persons with disabilities and tax exemptions for disabled persons.

• Enforce that all new construction of multi-family (4 units or more), co-ops, and

conversions must meet Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

and the State Code in regard to entrances, mail box, laundry accessibility, doorways,

controls access, grab-bar reinforcements.1

• Refer people with disabilities to the 2005 and 2007 Accessible Buildings Survey list

of accessible units to assist people with disabilities to find available accessible units,

or sign people up on a waiting list for those units.

• Continue working with organizations to provide a wide variety of housing services,

including services to the disabled. These organizations include Westchester Disabled

on the Move, and the New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA).

• Consider senior citizen tax and rent abatements to increase housing choice by

reducing cost burden.

• Enforce the City Council legislation providing tax abatement benefits to senior

citizen homeowners based on income, and rent increase abatements to eligible senior

citizen tenants. This has kept many older owners from losing their homes with the

increase of taxes and renters from paying rent increases while on a limited income.

These two programs assist 275 senior families each year.

• Encourage design specialists to require and encourage housing designs that consider

the needs of the disabled.

1 Source – 2001 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing, City of New Rochelle, N.Y.



• Provide builders and developers with information about the advantages of providing

housing for this market.


Presence of lead-based paint in the City’s aging housing stock limits housing choice

for families with small children.

Documentation

The Fair Housing Survey and Fair Housing Questionnaire conducted for the purpose of the

AI and also information received through the New Rochelle Development Department

revealed that lead-based paint in older homes throughout the City continues to be an

impediment to fair housing in New Rochelle particularly with families with small children and

under the Section 8 Program.


• Provide an education program for homeowners and renters regarding the hazards of

lead-based paint, especially during renovations.

• Conduct lead-based paint assessments for units being rehabilitated with the City’s

HOME funds through a partnership with Westchester County’s lead-based paint

elimination program.

• Provide outreach programs to encourage contractors to become certified lead-based

paint specialists.


Discriminatory practices of co-op boards in approving potential purchasers.

Documentation

The Fair Housing Survey and Fair Housing Questionnaire conducted for the purpose of the

AI, Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO), and also the previous Analysis of

Impediments revealed that there may be discriminatory practices by co-op boards in

approving potential purchasers. Co-op admission policies reject buyers without a reason and

according to WRO there is a fear amongst potential applicants of the process. The process

involves high fees and is very lengthy and many times results in rejection even after the

applicant has fulfilled all requests. To address this issue WRO has created a webcast for co-

op board members entitled “The Pathways to Fair Housing”.




• Conduct annual Fair Housing education program for co-op associations and realtors.

• Distribute WRO’s webcast for co-op board members.

• Post WRO webcast on the City’s website.

PREVIOUS IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING AND ACTIONS TAKEN


Rochelle was in May 2001 and identified the following as impediments:

• Lack of vacant land for construction of affordable housing;

• Inadequate supply of affordable units;

• Substandard housing;

• Inadequate supply of disabled housing;

• Lack of knowledge of fair housing regulations;

• Need for fair housing enforcement and advocacy;

• Aged housing stock in need of repair;

• High income levels and fees required to rent apartments limits choice for persons on

fixed incomes;

• Locations of banking institutions and real estate offices;

• Co-op board admission policies reject buyers without a reason;

• Discrimination by landlords against single parents and families with children and

refusal to accept Section 8 vouchers for low income families;

• Landlords’ or sellers’ definition of family regarding sale or rental of housing unit;

• Inadequate supply of bilingual realtors, bankers, and other professions to help the

Hispanic community;



• Concentration of minority persons;

• No reduced rate for permit fees for affordable housing;

• Discrimination in lending by private banks;

• Insufficient number of Section 8 vouchers available to assist eligible low-income

families and senior citizens;

• NIMBYism; and

• Presence of lead-based paint limits housing choice for families with small children.

Since 2004, the City has taken many actions to overcome fair housing barriers and reduce the

number of impediments found.

In 2006, the City continued to collaborate with WRO. WRO worked with the West End

Townhomes purchasers regarding fair lending practices in obtaining mortgages for their new

homes as well as first-time homebuyer counseling.

Affirmative marketing practices were also upheld in accepting applications for rental units in

the West End 2000 Project. The marketing of newly constructed housing units, managed by

the NRNRC, utilized HUD-approved preferences and income criteria which could not

exceed 80 percent of the Westchester median family income.

The City of New Rochelle adopted an affordable housing ordinance on March 21, 2006.

This ordinance states that each residential application that proposes the construction of more

than 10 dwelling units of rental housing shall provide a floor area set-aside for moderate-

income residents. The floor area will comprise at least 10 percent of the floor area devoted

to rental housing in the residential development. If the developers decide to opt out of

building the affordable units on-site, then the builder must pay a fee determined by a

payment schedule set forth in the New Rochelle City Code. Funds collected will be used for

acquisition of land suitable for the construction of low- and moderate-income housing units,

construction of low-and moderate-income housing units, rehabilitation of existing low- and

moderate-income housing units, and/or direct assistance to persons purchasing moderate-

income housing units.

The City continues to support and collaborate with the efforts of Westchester Residential

Opportunities (WRO) by providing funding for various fair housing issues, including

minority concentrations, lack of knowledge of fair housing regulations, and lead-based paint

issues.



M I N O R I T Y C O N C E N T R A T I O N

In 2004 and 2005, the City continued to fund Westchester Residential Opportunities (WRO)

to provide first-time homebuyer workshops for some of the relocatees of the West End 2000

project. A Financial Literacy Workshop was offered and four First Home Club meetings

were held in April and May of 2004.

The New Rochelle Municipal Housing Authority (NRMHA) continued pre-development

activities for the redevelopment of the Hartley House Complex, which is intended to reduce

minority concentration by providing a choice in relocation to displaced residents. The

residents could use their relocation benefits to obtain housing in other communities or other

parts of New Rochelle. The goal of the Hartley House redevelopment was to create a mixed-

income development which would attract persons of other racial backgrounds to purchase

affordable housing in the complex in an effort to reduce minority concentration.

L A C K O F K N O W L E D G E O F F A I R H O U S I N G

R E G U L A T I O N S

The City utilized a grant received by WRO directly from HUD under the Fair Housing

Initiatives Program (FHIP) to conduct and “Education and Outreach Program for Protected

Classes” to government, non-profits, and realtors with the intentions of raising awareness of

housing discrimination violations and pertinent regulations.

WRO continues to provide fair housing one-on-one counseling to New Rochelle residents.

L E A D -B A S E D P A I N T I S S U E S

Through the HOME program, WRO conducted a Housing Forum for Older Adult

Homeowners at the Doyle Senior Center to educate seniors on Westchester County’s grant

program for lead-based paint removal called “Lead-Safe Westchester.” Seniors were made

aware that there is a website administered by the Westchester County Board of Health which

contains communications about lead-based paint issues and that the County offers a $5,000

grant per unit to assist landlords and property owners to obtain financial assistance for

reducing lead-based paint hazards in their properties.

CONCLUSION

The City of New Rochelle is committed to providing fair and affordable housing

opportunities for all of its residents and will continue to make efforts towards eliminating fair

housing impediments through the recommended actions above.

VII. R

eferencesVII. R

eferencesVII. R

eferencesVII. R

eferences

VII. REFERENCESVII. REFERENCESVII. REFERENCESVII. REFERENCES

V I I . R E F E R E N C E S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE VII-1

Department of Housing and Urban Development Fair Housing Planning Guide.

City of New Rochelle 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan.

City of New Rochelle 2001 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice.

New York State Division of Human Rights.

Department of Justice.

Home Mortgage Disclosure Act.

Westchester Residential Opportunities Race Based Fair Housing Testing Project.

Westchester Residential Opportunities Accessible Building and Accessible Housing Survey.

* A list of participants can be found in Section I-2 of this document.

APPENAPPENAPPENAPPENDIX A DIX A DIX A DIX A ---- SIGNATURE PAGE SIGNATURE PAGE SIGNATURE PAGE SIGNATURE PAGE

Appendix A

Appendix A

Appendix A

Appendix A

-- -- Signature P

age Signature P

age Signature P

age Signature P

age

A P P E N D I X A – S I G N A T U R E P A G E

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE A-1

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLENEW YORK

The City of New Rochelle, New York, as a recipient of Community Development Block

Grant (CDBG) funds and HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) funds through the

Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and in order to comply with its

certification to affirmatively further fair housing, has conducted an Analysis of Impediments

to Fair Housing to assess the availability of fair housing choice within the City of New

Rochelle. I affirm that the City of New Rochelle will support activities to assure non-

discrimination in the provision of housing and its accompanying transactions.

________________________ ________________

Charles B. Strome, III Date

City Manager

Appendix B

Appendix B

Appendix B

Appendix B

-- -- Areas of R

acial Areas of R

acial Areas of R

acial Areas of R

acial / / / / Ethnic

Ethnic Ethnic Ethnic

Integration and Segregation M

apsIntegration and S

egregation Maps

Integration and Segregation M

apsIntegration and S

egregation Maps

APPENDIX B APPENDIX B APPENDIX B APPENDIX B ---- AREAS OF RACIAL AREAS OF RACIAL AREAS OF RACIAL AREAS OF RACIAL

/ / / / ETHNIC INTEGRATION AETHNIC INTEGRATION AETHNIC INTEGRATION AETHNIC INTEGRATION AND ND ND ND

SEGREGATION MAPSSEGREGATION MAPSSEGREGATION MAPSSEGREGATION MAPS

A P P E N D I X B – M A P S

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE B-1

F I G U R E B -1A R E A S O F A F R I C A N - A M E R I C A N C O N C E N T R A T I O N



F I G U R E B -2A R E A S O F A S I A N C O N C E N T R A T I O N



F I G U R E B -3A R E A S O F H I S P A N I C C O N C E N T R A T I O N



F I G U R E B -4T A R G E T A R E A

Appendix C

Appendix C

Appendix C

Appendix C

-- -- Hom

e Mortgage

Hom

e Mortgage

Hom

e Mortgage

Hom

e Mortgage

Disclosure A

ct Data

Disclosure A

ct Data

Disclosure A

ct Data

Disclosure A

ct Data

APPENDIX C APPENDIX C APPENDIX C APPENDIX C ---- HOME MORTGAGE HOME MORTGAGE HOME MORTGAGE HOME MORTGAGE

DISCLOSURE ACT DATADISCLOSURE ACT DATADISCLOSURE ACT DATADISCLOSURE ACT DATA

APPENDIX DAPPENDIX DAPPENDIX DAPPENDIX D---- OUTREACH LIST OUTREACH LIST OUTREACH LIST OUTREACH LIST

Appendix D

Appendix D

Appendix D

Appendix D

-- -- Outreach List

Outreach List

Outreach List

Outreach List

A P P E N D I X D – O U T R E A C H L I S T

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE D-1

A N A L Y S I S O F I M P E D I M E N T S T O F A I R H O U S I N G C H O I C E O U T R E A C H L I S T

Agency Contact E-mail Address Phone Address

City of New Rochelle Section 8Office

Eileen O'Rourke [email protected] (914)654-2179515 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801

City of New Rochelle BuildingsDepartment

Paul Vacca [email protected] (914)654-2036515 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801

Westchester ResidentialOpportunities Inc.

Ann Seligsohn [email protected] (914)428-4507470 Mamaroneck Ave.White Plains, NY 10605

New Rochelle NeighborhoodRevitalization Corp.

Charles J. DePasquale,Executive Director

[email protected] (914)633-7092400 North AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801

New Rochelle Municipal HousingAuthority

Steven Horton,Executive Director

[email protected] (914)636-705050 Sickles Ave.New Rochelle, NY 10801

WESTCOP Norvelle Brandon [email protected] (914)636-305095 Lincoln AvenueNew Rochelle, NY 10801

Westchester Jewish CommunityServices

Patrice Cuddy [email protected] (914)761-0600845 North BroadwayWhite Plains, NY 10605

Habitat for Humanity ofWestchester Inc.

Jim Killoran, ExecutiveDirector

[email protected] (914)636-8335524 Main StreetNew Rochelle, NY 10801

Westchester Disabled on theMove

Mel Tanzman [email protected] (914)968-4717984 North Broadway, Suite L-01Yonkers, NY 10701

WESTHAB Inc.Robert Sanborn, VicePresident Real EstateDevelopment

[email protected] (914)345-280085 Executive Blvd.Elmsford, NY 10523

New Rochelle Human RightsCommission

Dr. Jacquelyn Volk,Chairman


Aids-Related Community Services(ARCS)

Westchester CountyHeadquarters

No Email (914)345-888840 Saw Mill River RoadHawthorne, NY 10532

A P P E N D I X D – O U T R E A C H L I S T

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE D-2

Agency Contact E-mail Address Phone Address

Westchester County VeteransService Agency

Thomas Meier No Email (914)995-2145112 East Post Road, 4th Floor,Rm. 442White Plains, NY 10601

Housing Action CouncilAlan Gordon, DeputyDirector

agordon@affordable homes.org (914)332-414455 South Broadway, 2nd FlTarrytown, NY 10591

Westchester County Board ofRealtors

No Specific Contact No Email (914)681-083359 South BroadwayWhite Plains, NY 10601

City of New Rochelle PlanningDepartment

Ed Lynch, Director ofPlanning


Appendix E

Appendix E

Appendix E

Appendix E -- -- Fair H

ousing Fair H

ousing Fair H

ousing Fair H

ousing

Survey and Q

uestionnaireSurvey and Q



uestionnaire

APPENDIX E APPENDIX E APPENDIX E APPENDIX E ---- FAIR HOUSING FAIR HOUSING FAIR HOUSING FAIR HOUSING

SURVEY AND QUESTIONNSURVEY AND QUESTIONNSURVEY AND QUESTIONNSURVEY AND QUESTIONNAIREAIREAIREAIRE

A P P E N D I X E – F A I R H O U S I N GS U R V E Y

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE E-1

Organization Name

Name/ Title/ of Person completing the Survey

Phone Number Email Address

Question #1: Describe the number and types of complaints alleging housing discrimination

that your organization has received and/ or referrals that your organization has made.

Type ofDiscrimination

Practices Cited as Discriminatory Resolved Complaints and Referrals

Conditionsof Sale or

Rental

Refusalto Rent

ReasonableAccommod

ation

Number of FairHousing

ComplaintsSuccessfully

Resolved

Number of FairHousing

ComplaintsReferred to HUD

Race 0 0 0 0 0

Color 0 0 0 0 0

Religion 0 0 0 0 0

Sex 0 0 0 0 0

National Origin 0 0 0 0 0

Disability 0 0 0 0 0

Familial Status(families withchildren under 18)

0 0 0 0 0

Total Complaints 0 0 0 0 0

Question #2: Describe impediments to fair housing that affect the people your organization

serves (feel free to comment on or add to the examples listed below):

A. Public Sector examples: Municipal regulations, zoning, public housing voucher

portability, sale of subsidized housing, planning and zoning boards, property tax

policies, and building codes, etc.

.

A P P E N D I X E – F A I R H O U S I N GS U R V E Y


B. Private Sector examples: Lending policies and practices, etc.

.

C. Public and Private concerns: Fair housing enforcement; informational programs;

Visitability in housing for people with disabilities; etc.

.

Question #3: Describe trends or patterns that have developed regarding impediments to fair

housing, and possible causes for these trends/patterns.

.

Question #4: Assess current public and private fair housing programs and activities in the

City of New Rochelle or Westchester County. Describe goals and accomplishments of your

organization.

.

Question #5: Discuss any other fair housing concerns.

.

A P P E N D I X E – F A I R H O U S I N GQ U E S T I O N N A I R E


Please check any items below that you feel may currently be or continue to be an impediment

to fair housing choice in New Rochelle and provide a detailed explanation in the space

provided.

Impediment #1 – lack of vacant land for construction of affordable housing.

Impediment #2 – inadequate supply of affordable units.

Impediment #3 – substandard housing.

Impediment #4 – inadequate supply of disabled housing.

Impediment #5 – lack of knowledge of Fair Housing regulations.

Impediment #6 – need for Fair Housing enforcement and advocacy.

Impediment #7 – aged housing stock in need of repair.

Impediment #8 – High income levels and fees required to rent apartments limits

choice for persons on fixed incomes i.e. SSI or SSD.

Impediment #9 – Locations of banking institutions and real estate offices.



Impediment # 10 – Co-op Board admission policies reject buyers without a reason.

Impediment #11 – Discrimination by landlords against single parents, and families

with children and refusal to accept Section 8 vouchers for low income families.

Impediment #12 – Landlords or sellers definition of family regarding sale or rental of

housing unit.

Impediment #13 – Inadequate supply of bi-lingual realtors, bankers and other to help

the Hispanic community.

Impediment #14 – Concentration of minority persons.

Impediment #15 – No reduced rate for permit fees for affordable housing.

Impediment #16 – Discrimination in lending by private banks.

Impediment #17 – Insufficient number of Section 8 vouchers available to assist

eligible low-income families and senior citizens.

Impediment #19 – NIMBYism.



Impediment #20 – Presence of lead-based paint limits housing choice for families with

small children.

Appendix F

Appendix F

Appendix F

Appendix F –– ––

Citizen P

articipation C

itizen Participation

Citizen P

articipation C

itizen Participation

APPENDIX F APPENDIX F APPENDIX F APPENDIX F –––– CITIZEN CITIZEN CITIZEN CITIZEN

PARTICIPPARTICIPPARTICIPPARTICIPATIONATIONATIONATION

1

CITY OF NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. NOTICE

2008 ANALYSIS OF IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING

15-DAY COMMENT PERIOD May 27-June 10, 2008

Publication dates: May 27 & May 28, 2008 The City required to update the “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing” (AI) in conjunction with the submission of the 2008-2012 Consolidated Plan which was previously submitted to HUD in November 2007. This analysis is required by HUD as a condition of receiving Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds. The overall goal of the AI is to review and assess impediments to fair housing within the community and identify corrective actions that the City can implement. The last analysis was completed in 2001. The preparation of the AI consisted of the following: review of the City’s Zoning Code, Comprehensive Plan and housing and income data; research of the City’s disabled and racial demographics to identify groups that may be subject to housing discrimination; consultation and coordination among various government agencies, private groups, non-profits and individuals; data from the focus group meetings held in 2007 for the Consolidated Plan. Two surveys were sent to agencies that serve the special interests of the protected groups such as the New Rochelle Human Rights Commission, the City’s Section 8 and City departments that may impact fair housing impediments such as Buildings and zoning. The comment period for the AI will extend from May 27 through June 10, 2008. The draft AI is available for viewing on the City’s website at www. newrochelleny.com. Comments can be presented at Citizen’s to Be Heard, June 10 at 8 PM, City Council Chambers, 515 North Avenue.

The City Council will adopt the 2008 Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing at the June 17, 2008 Council meeting.

Written comments regarding the re-program may be sent until June 10, 2008 to:

Craig King

Commissioner of Development 515 North Avenue

New Rochelle, New York 10801

CRAIG KING Commissioner of Development

Cover Impediments to Fair Housing Choice - New Rochelle, NY

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