ABG has previously written about spot zoning and its perils. In Greenburgh, for instance, Mr Feiner and his Board cavalierly change zoning on his whim to satisfy his developer friends. There aren’t any developers, larger ones anyway, who fear submitting a proposal in Greenburgh as long as Mr Feiner is at the helm with a submissive Board in tow. In fact, smaller contractors and builders have been said to avoid doing business in Greenburgh due to excessive taxes also known as fees and permit costs and extended review processes. The people who suffer are the homeowners, of course, who want to add a bathroom, deck or dormer to their home. The approval process can take up to a year between the different departments, the various fees, meetings etc., only to be refused at any point and force a restart of the entire process.
There is even more going on around us in Greenburgh and elsewhere throughout the County. Here in Greenburgh, the Town Board follows Mr Feiner’s instructions and rubber stamps whatever project he favors. Several years ago he announced he was in favor of an eight story commercial entity being built in a residential neighborhood. He had had the opportunity to simply sell off the property but chose to politicize it and play games against the residents of the area. Is this what we elect our leadership to do? Hardly. Then there was the over-sized assisted living facility to be built on what amounted to a postage-stamp parcel of land in yet another residential neighborhood. While the residents, current taxpayers that government should be protecting from outside interests, strenuously objected to Mr Feiner and the Board, he laughed in their faces and not only approved every aspect of the proposal, but let the projects attorney’s write what would later become the zoning code for assisted living facilities!
Now that an approximately two-year old assisted living zoning code exists, Mr Feiner and his spineless Board are pushing to approve another inappropriate assisted living facility. To top it off, they seek to ignore this recently adopted zoning code to accommodate another developer! Interestingly, this time, while the immediate abutting property owners are against the project, some of the residents in the area have spoken in favor of this sale. We believe they are speaking less in favor of the mega-proposal and more in favor of trying to help the owners complete the sale for retirement income. Regardless of the reason, the facility does not meet the assisted living zoning code and requires variances to proceed.
Rather than wait and follow the process, we believe Mr Feiner instructed his Board to prematurely initiate and subsequently approve a SEQR study/report. This bastardization of “the process” belies the hollow words heard from the dais at various meetings by Mr Feiner and his Board. They parrot him by saying that they want, “the public to have faith in the process”, “that they’ll do their due diligence” and more. The list of hollow expressions is almost unlimited.
Beyond the lies from our own corner office comes a growing trend, an agenda if you will, with housing and spot zoning. Excuses in favor of it abound as developers push community leaders to covertly endorse spot zoning. In North Castle for example, JMF Properties of New Jersey, is seeking to construct 200 high-rental apartments on 22 (of 36) acres on the North White Plains’ Jennie Clarkson school campus. Their argument they use for this is that there is an abundance of multi-family homes that already exist. Here’s their rub: empty nesters are looking to down size and young professionals – often referred to as millennials – don’t want to own a home yet. 60% of these proposed units would be two bedrooms and the remainder would be single bedroom, with twenty units set aside as affordable housing. The moniker might change but the only way to proceed is to pepper the proposal with enough buzzwords so politicians can jump on board: affordable, workforce, low income, welfare, senior, veterans, etc. The final nail in the coffin of the argument is that businesses are leaving the area because of a lack of housing for workers. Could it simply be they are leaving because they are overtaxed and over-regulated? Believe it.
The real issue here is that to build this huge facility would require several zoning changes. And, as luxury units priced at about $2,800 to $3,200, the affordability aspect seems a bit distant if not contradictory. These residents would have, according to one of the spokesman, “…fat wallets and they’re looking to spend in that local community.” That may appear to be justification to some, but to us it seems weak. It certainly does not qualify as a reason to spot zone an area, even if spot zoning is illegal. Using other words for it doesn't make it right.
Similarly, Purchase College, part of the State University of New York system, is proposing to build 385 units of housing for people ages 62 and older on 40 acres of its 500-acre campus. The proposed site — mostly weedy land that had previously been used as a dump for construction debris — is located south of the college's administration complex and west of Lincoln Avenue. The arguments for this project, while not as necessary because this is NY State property and not held to many of the same zoning and other standards as Towns and Villages, include 220 units of one and two-bedroom apartments in a four-story building and single-family, duplex and triplex homes; 36 beds for assisted living and 36 beds for memory care would be offered. The rest of what is being touted is merely window trimmings of sorts to increase the projects attractiveness.
In nearby Harrison, the Brightview “senior steamroller” received approval for their latest proposal for their contentious Brightview Senior Living facility. The necessary-to-proceed zoning amendment was passed by the Village Board, even though the Harrison mayor said, “…the zoning amendment passed Thursday did not constitute a fait accomplis.” He added, “It's all part of the process," he said. "We're not even at the 10-yard line. A lot can happen in 90 yards.” The project must now gain the planning board’s approval. The zoning amendment allows senior living facilities to be built in existing residential zones, with the planning board's approval. This move paves the way for any developer, but in this case, Brightview Senior Living, to build a four-story, Home Depot-sized senior living facility on the Lake Street Quarry site in West Harrison. The 7.3-acre project site is surrounded by a rural neighborhood of single-family homes. Once again residents in the neighborhood say the development would be too big and out of character for the area, comes too close to nearby homes and would cause traffic congestion on an already-busy street. And again, government is pursuing its agenda and ignoring the well-being of the existing taxpayers who have invested in the community from outsiders seeking to ravage it.
In Buchanan, the opposition to affordable housing for seniors was strong last fall. So much so that one of Westchester’s leading builders simply walked away, unwilling to invest any more time or money in pursuing his project. But now, seven months later, things have changed. The Buchanan Village Board, by a single vote, last week agreed to a zoning change that allows the 42-unit project, including 35 affordable units, to proceed for planning board review. Therein is part of the problem. When a developer wants a project to go through, they have resources and time that residents do not and can keep the onslaught going as long as they choose.
Finally, it must be mentioned that if the project is approved, it would help Westchester County meet its federal fair-housing goal. This is another part of the zoning change problem. Without reliving the entire Anti-Discrimination lawsuit against the County, the federal government and its housing monitor continue to insist that local zoning be changed to allow a whole host of zoning possibilities that frankly, zoning laws are designed protect communities from. If you need an example of imprecise zoning, simply look at the 9A corridor from I-287 northbound toward Mt Pleasant. Nothing matches, looks cohesive or has a flow of style that invites you to want to participate and even locate there. Zoning adjustments, such as changing a set back from 10 feet to 7 feet to allow a walkway or a deck to be built are certainly acceptable. Radical changes like the ones we’re being forced to accept because of political agendas, developer’s deep pockets, and a willfully ignorant electorate must stop – especially in Greenburgh. Only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Showing posts with label affordable Housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label affordable Housing. Show all posts
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Sunday, December 1, 2013
Just Watch Me
The time leading up to the next election promises to be interesting and economically advantageous for overburdened and beleaguered taxpayers. Not because we’ll have any breakthrough politicians revolutionizing anything, but because several of our potential candidates want to move up, so they are pandering “savings” to the voters. It’s the classic line from a song, “Vote for me and I’ll set you free.” The reality however, begins more likely as, “Elect me to represent you,” which morphs into, “Thanks for electing me, but after all it is all about me. There’s more I need to do and am seeking higher office to do it. See ya!” More accurately the sentiment should be translated as, “Thanks for electing me suckers! I can make more money and get more power by moving up and away from you. Vote for me again and I’m outta here, just watch me!” Since most voters are willfully oblivious to most politics and their politicians, they think they’re doing their community a service by going to vote, recognizing the name on the ballot and voting for them or simply voting the party line when they don’t know anything of a candidate, encouraging more of the same behavior for the next crop of candidates who come along.
There is usually some sort of damage or havoc left in the exiting politician’s wake in the form of increased taxes, new rules, regulations, fees and restrictions to our personal freedoms. Our own Town leaders say they are business friendly, yet continue to institute or increase fees, pass new regulations (with fines), all limiting the business’ ability to operate profitably. Once a business’ resources are exhausted, several less desirable options are available: they let people go, they cut back on merchandise or services, move to another location or go out of business.
Their acts of desperation to continue to stay in business affects us all as the community tax base begins to erode, employees who had the ability to financially support the area cannot and cut back their spending. Some even lose their homes and are forced to move in with relatives or subsidized housing, aka affordable housing. Less taxes are paid into everything from FICA, Social Security, pensions, towns and villages, etc. The elected politicians quick-buck has long-term devastating effects.
Their acts of desperation to continue to stay in business affects us all as the community tax base begins to erode, employees who had the ability to financially support the area cannot and cut back their spending. Some even lose their homes and are forced to move in with relatives or subsidized housing, aka affordable housing. Less taxes are paid into everything from FICA, Social Security, pensions, towns and villages, etc. The elected politicians quick-buck has long-term devastating effects.
For instance, in Greenburgh we witness a Town Board that perpetually struggles to create new taxes in the form of fees and permits or increase existing ones to offset Mr Feiner’s expensive blunders. Blunders such as Fortress Bible Church ($8M payout); WestHelp ($1.2M/yr loss), remarkably uncovered Tax Arrears ($21M uncollected over 20 yrs), Frank’s Nursery property ($3.5 M lost), water meter debacle ($4M expense) and finally, but not limited to, the 10% salary increase the Town Board will vote itself. Mr Feiner justifies the increase saying the elected officials haven’t had a raise since 2007 or so. Here’s a simple solution: quit! Anytime the salary one receives is not working for someone in the “real world” (private sector), that person starts marketing themselves and seeks a new job. Mr Feiner tried this as a politician when he ran for Congress – and lost. So this time he just instructed his Board to vote them all a pretty hefty raise. While the G10 fights this, the willfully ignorant taxpayers allow this.
Mr Feiner wanted to be in Congress. Mr Astorino wants to be Governor, Mr Christie wants to be President. Mr Cuomo wants to be President – and his actions certainly belie that. In New York, it’s Andrew’s turn, so New Jersey’s big guy will really have his work cut out for him. After Cuomo’s big media blunder years ago, the “payback” to Uncle Mario happened and the junior Cuomo was appointed the HUD Chair so he could pay his dues, keep his big, entitled mouth shut and let New Yorkers forget how he insulted them, come back and get back onto the political horse. Shortly after this time, a younger Noam Bramson was elected as New Rochelle Mayor and his grooming began for the promised Nita Lowey’s Congressional seat when she retired. That is, until the Democratic apparatchik began bandying Chelsea Clinton’s name about as her successor if and when retirement plans are announced. In the meantime, our recently re-elected politicians all desire to use our backs as their stepping stone, so they are doing and saying the right things for taxpayers.
Unfortunately, Mr Feiner will not be going anywhere, anytime soon. We had always hoped that someone else would be interesting in hiring a non-practicing attorney, with no management skills, no budget skills and was convicted in Federal Court? No takers. No surprise. Since he cannot move up, apparently Greenburgh is stuck with him, thanks to the willfully ignorant that just won’t bother to pay any attention to his illegal actions and habitually reelect him. By the way, now that Westhab’s President Robert Miller is retiring, perhaps Mr Feiner will be asked to step in and fill their one void with another?
County Executive Astorino, moving along after his well-deserved reelection, is doing more than putting his toe in the proverbial waters to see if support for his run for governor has any legs. He recently travelled to the Republican Governors Association conference in Phoenix with his wife, and spent time meeting with New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie, another political anomaly in an otherwise overwhelmingly Democratic environ. Why did they need to go to Arizona to talk? They could have more easily gotten together in Westchester or New Jersey to “strategerize”. Details of what they discussed was not made public. According to the upstate newspaper the Democrat & Chronicle, Governor Cuomo claims he knows what the two discussed but isn’t disclosing what he knows.
Astorino ran a campaign about maintaing our neighborhoods zoning independence and the right to control our community’s respective look and feel. He and others have bemoaned the overreaching federal government’s hand into this issue, which ABG believes falls squarely under Home Rule. While many support Astorino’s position, many Democrats, their staff and political pundits, along with anybody anti-Republican, claim he’s doing more harm than good. Because of his actions, the federal government has been withholding funds that are more like member items and costing our communities the ability to offer more to their residents (translation: lost votes). He also reduced the spending for the County’s budget, and actually lowered County taxes. While the County tax portion of property taxes paid by the average homeowner is about 18%, the gesture is more symbolic than tangible. And yet the gesture is having good political payoff for Astorino as well as taxpayers. It appears that he is helping the overtaxed taxpayer.
Common Core is dividing New York parents of school age children. Common Core and standardized testing under the guise of educational improvements will further what school’s institutionalized learning already does. It reduces creativity, individual thought, and exceptionalism, akin to teaching coloring and insisting the kids stay within the lines. It demoralizes teachers whose only love is to impart and nurture knowledge into the rapt minds of our young. Governor Cuomo has been doing a great job of campaigning, with only a few minor missteps from which he’s been able to distance himself thanks to a sympathetic liberal press. He has championed reducing taxes, trying to stimulate growth and jobs. He has taken a position on Common Core, seeming to align himself with the majority of a vociferous public. As he continues to claim to be against high taxes, he streamlined the Tappan Zee Bridge project, continues to espouse development and jobs while bolstering his job approval ratings.
Staunch Republicans have even admitted Mr Cuomo is doing a good job. The side benefit of all of this for the electorate is that we now have a 2% NYS Tax Cap, a Tappan Zee Bridge project seeming to move forward to create jobs along with other taxpayer friendly savings, ensuring New York financial and voting support. Mr Cuomo has also been smart enough (or advised) to stay out of the Hydro-fracking controversy in the Marcellus Shale region, having yet to yield a decision to either support hydro-fracking or not. Mr Cuomo’s gestures are nothing more than a stall tactic and if he can just get to the next election cycle without having to render a decision, he’ll be all set. But his non-campaigning campaigning is having a good economic payoff for the New York taxpayer that we’ve not experienced in a while.
Obamacare is dividing the country and even the Democrats who voted for it. In fact, Obamacare’s implementation been postponed until after the next election to allow those same Democrats a pass to reelection. Our financial advisors are telling us the worst is yet to come. President Obama’s legacy is done. It’s Obamacare – good or bad. As businesses get affected by it and begin reacting to it as best they can, more and more people will be negatively affected. But the willfully ignorant will have forgotten how they were impacted and reelect the same people, just to get screwed again. The people who are financially better-off will just suck it up as they always do and pay the difference. The politicians will have been exempted from participating and pander to those with financially less, promising them much but delivering little.
It can’t all be blamed on the willfully ignorant, but it’s a good place to start. If and when they start paying attention, we can start to turn the tide and improve our lot in New York. It needs to start locally, only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Unfortunately, Mr Feiner will not be going anywhere, anytime soon. We had always hoped that someone else would be interesting in hiring a non-practicing attorney, with no management skills, no budget skills and was convicted in Federal Court? No takers. No surprise. Since he cannot move up, apparently Greenburgh is stuck with him, thanks to the willfully ignorant that just won’t bother to pay any attention to his illegal actions and habitually reelect him. By the way, now that Westhab’s President Robert Miller is retiring, perhaps Mr Feiner will be asked to step in and fill their one void with another?
Astorino ran a campaign about maintaing our neighborhoods zoning independence and the right to control our community’s respective look and feel. He and others have bemoaned the overreaching federal government’s hand into this issue, which ABG believes falls squarely under Home Rule. While many support Astorino’s position, many Democrats, their staff and political pundits, along with anybody anti-Republican, claim he’s doing more harm than good. Because of his actions, the federal government has been withholding funds that are more like member items and costing our communities the ability to offer more to their residents (translation: lost votes). He also reduced the spending for the County’s budget, and actually lowered County taxes. While the County tax portion of property taxes paid by the average homeowner is about 18%, the gesture is more symbolic than tangible. And yet the gesture is having good political payoff for Astorino as well as taxpayers. It appears that he is helping the overtaxed taxpayer.
Common Core is dividing New York parents of school age children. Common Core and standardized testing under the guise of educational improvements will further what school’s institutionalized learning already does. It reduces creativity, individual thought, and exceptionalism, akin to teaching coloring and insisting the kids stay within the lines. It demoralizes teachers whose only love is to impart and nurture knowledge into the rapt minds of our young. Governor Cuomo has been doing a great job of campaigning, with only a few minor missteps from which he’s been able to distance himself thanks to a sympathetic liberal press. He has championed reducing taxes, trying to stimulate growth and jobs. He has taken a position on Common Core, seeming to align himself with the majority of a vociferous public. As he continues to claim to be against high taxes, he streamlined the Tappan Zee Bridge project, continues to espouse development and jobs while bolstering his job approval ratings.
Staunch Republicans have even admitted Mr Cuomo is doing a good job. The side benefit of all of this for the electorate is that we now have a 2% NYS Tax Cap, a Tappan Zee Bridge project seeming to move forward to create jobs along with other taxpayer friendly savings, ensuring New York financial and voting support. Mr Cuomo has also been smart enough (or advised) to stay out of the Hydro-fracking controversy in the Marcellus Shale region, having yet to yield a decision to either support hydro-fracking or not. Mr Cuomo’s gestures are nothing more than a stall tactic and if he can just get to the next election cycle without having to render a decision, he’ll be all set. But his non-campaigning campaigning is having a good economic payoff for the New York taxpayer that we’ve not experienced in a while.
Obamacare is dividing the country and even the Democrats who voted for it. In fact, Obamacare’s implementation been postponed until after the next election to allow those same Democrats a pass to reelection. Our financial advisors are telling us the worst is yet to come. President Obama’s legacy is done. It’s Obamacare – good or bad. As businesses get affected by it and begin reacting to it as best they can, more and more people will be negatively affected. But the willfully ignorant will have forgotten how they were impacted and reelect the same people, just to get screwed again. The people who are financially better-off will just suck it up as they always do and pay the difference. The politicians will have been exempted from participating and pander to those with financially less, promising them much but delivering little.
It can’t all be blamed on the willfully ignorant, but it’s a good place to start. If and when they start paying attention, we can start to turn the tide and improve our lot in New York. It needs to start locally, only then will we get A Better Greenburgh.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
“Campaign Mailing” and Beautification
Mr Feiner recently sent out another campaign mailing under the guise of touting action that is needed to improve the former WestHelp property on the Westchester Community College campus in the Valhalla portion of the Town of Greenburgh. Had Mr Feiner simply renewed the contract with the County for the WestHelp facility when former County Executive Andrew Spano requested it, the Town would still be reaping $1.2 million per year. But Mr Feiner decided not to renew the contract to gain favor (re: purchase votes) from the Valhalla residents in this election and several key Republican politicians. He knew he would be running against someone in the upcoming election, but couldn’t know who. His formidable opponent this year is Mr Robert “Bob” Bernstein, a resident of Edgemont, an attorney and civic leader who has beaten Mr Feiner in other venues.
Mr Feiner sounded nervous during his acceptance speech at the Democratic Nominating meeting held for free at the Greenburgh Town Hall. In accepting the nomination, he proceeded to state that he welcomed the competition and that this was democracy in action and he looked forward to the campaign with Mr Bernstein.
Separately, this is not the first time democrats have been allowed to utilize Town Hall as Mr Feiner’s personal resources at no charge, but never availed to the republicans at no charge. This all-democratic administration obviously has its perks! Another perk he does enjoy is that of being able to lie to the public and have the mainstream media regurgitate it verbatim.
Almost immediately afterwards, during the campaign ballot signature acquisition period, he challenged the signatures submitted by Mr Bernstein for Supervisor, Mr Sheehan for Town Council and Ms Fantauzzi’s for Town Clerk as fraudulent, as well as Mr Sheehan’s residency as fraudulent. The case was thrown out of court after three day of courtroom melodrama by Mr Feiner and his counsel Assemblyman Abinanti, Mr Feiner shrugged off the loss stating he was looking forward to the competition. If he were looking forward to the competition, why the court action?
Mr Feiner’s flawed decision to not renew the County’s WestHelp contract for $1.2 million per year, which would have guaranteed the Town 10-years worth of income for little if any effort, affects more than just our bottom line. The 100+ units of housing that was championed by our now-Governor and then-HUD Housing Chairman Andrew Cuomo(D), was slated to transform from affordable/subsidized housing for the homeless into affordable/subsidized housing for seniors.
Regardless of whether it was subsidized housing or not, the need for it and its usefulness has never diminished. Mr Feiner determined that the Town should not renew the contract. Not the Board, not the Greenburgh Housing Authority, not the County and certainly not the State. And now that the State has finally said “No” to Mr Feiner’s folly to sell the County property the Town doesn’t own to the Ferncliff School of Yonkers, Mr Feiner awarded the property through a falsified bid to an upstart company named MRH. Then he attempted to accuse the public, especially the G10, of bid-rigging. Bid-rigging cannot happen from the public or Mr Feiner’s critics. It will usually have to happen between politicians who set the parameters of the bid and bidders.
Mr Feiner’s letter claims the fire department’s recommendations to increase the paved space to make access of emergency (fire) vehicles more effective is going to ruin the look of the facility. He also claims these are expensive changes. What will the cost be is conveniently not mentioned. Would it be under $1.2 million? Apparently the lives of seniors in their sunset years are not as important as trying to save them in the event of an emergency. His claim that implementing these changes will make the housing less desirable because of the removal of the grass in this “stunning environment” is absurd. The fire department proposal setting senior residents’ safety as paramount should take preference over the look of the facility. His argument to keep the good-looking facility the way it is is amazingly short-sighted, risky to the lives of those living there, and contrary to his actions taken with almost every other project. How so you ask?
When Westhab purchased the property at 22 Tarrytown Road with county, state and federal funding, they requested variances for the setback, seeking to build literally from the curb to the respective edges of the property. To ensure approval of this variance, they promised a green roof in place of the resulting less porous area. Mr Feiner could not approve their request fast enough! Residents clamored about the safety of a recreational green roof, the increased impervious space and flood water runoff. Mr Feiner did not flinch and illogically supported their proposal. When Brightview Assisted Living sought to do the same thing, again Mr Feiner was first in line. The list continues as Mr Feiner chooses whichever side will garner him more votes. It must stop!
WestHelp will eventually begin to change as MRH moves to begin implementing the contract with the Town that they got by lying on their bid application to the Town. Lying seems to be a hallmark of the Feiner Administration. The lies that germinate from the Town’s administration changes as quickly as the headlines do. The public never seems to remember and whatever the Supervisor says must be true. This behavior is finally catching up with the Mr Feiner.
“Would you prefer to live in a campus environment-with beautiful gardens and lawns? Or, would you want to live in an apartment complex that is paved over? We want the parking placed a short distance from the current WESTHELP campus.” Generally, so do we. But we refuse to stay with the status quo while risking the lives of the residents there! If the alternative is being homeless, we’re pretty sure most people will be happy to walk across the paved lot and enjoy the view of the woods some 50 feet away. Drop this facade Mr Feiner and work on undoing the damage done by you and your administration.
While Mr Feiner continues to show interest in green space, solar energy, shutting down Indian Point, saving the TZ bridge, biking to Timbuktu and the like, he should be spending his time administering the Town’s government. He has spent 22-years not doing that and it is why we find ourselves with convoluted regulations, fees and fines against businesses that are increasing the For Sale and For Rent signs throughout the Town. Our businesses need a business-friendly environment. Once we have this, the exodus from Greenburgh will ebb. We need real tax relief for our residents to slow and stop their exodus. We need our infrastructure updated and modernized. We need flooding addressed Town-wide. The list goes on. Speaking of exoduses, it’s time for the Democratic portion of the electorate to make an important decision regarding an exodus on September 10. Please come out and vote. We need A Better Greenburgh.
Mr Feiner sounded nervous during his acceptance speech at the Democratic Nominating meeting held for free at the Greenburgh Town Hall. In accepting the nomination, he proceeded to state that he welcomed the competition and that this was democracy in action and he looked forward to the campaign with Mr Bernstein.
Separately, this is not the first time democrats have been allowed to utilize Town Hall as Mr Feiner’s personal resources at no charge, but never availed to the republicans at no charge. This all-democratic administration obviously has its perks! Another perk he does enjoy is that of being able to lie to the public and have the mainstream media regurgitate it verbatim.
Almost immediately afterwards, during the campaign ballot signature acquisition period, he challenged the signatures submitted by Mr Bernstein for Supervisor, Mr Sheehan for Town Council and Ms Fantauzzi’s for Town Clerk as fraudulent, as well as Mr Sheehan’s residency as fraudulent. The case was thrown out of court after three day of courtroom melodrama by Mr Feiner and his counsel Assemblyman Abinanti, Mr Feiner shrugged off the loss stating he was looking forward to the competition. If he were looking forward to the competition, why the court action?
Mr Feiner’s flawed decision to not renew the County’s WestHelp contract for $1.2 million per year, which would have guaranteed the Town 10-years worth of income for little if any effort, affects more than just our bottom line. The 100+ units of housing that was championed by our now-Governor and then-HUD Housing Chairman Andrew Cuomo(D), was slated to transform from affordable/subsidized housing for the homeless into affordable/subsidized housing for seniors.
Regardless of whether it was subsidized housing or not, the need for it and its usefulness has never diminished. Mr Feiner determined that the Town should not renew the contract. Not the Board, not the Greenburgh Housing Authority, not the County and certainly not the State. And now that the State has finally said “No” to Mr Feiner’s folly to sell the County property the Town doesn’t own to the Ferncliff School of Yonkers, Mr Feiner awarded the property through a falsified bid to an upstart company named MRH. Then he attempted to accuse the public, especially the G10, of bid-rigging. Bid-rigging cannot happen from the public or Mr Feiner’s critics. It will usually have to happen between politicians who set the parameters of the bid and bidders.
Mr Feiner’s letter claims the fire department’s recommendations to increase the paved space to make access of emergency (fire) vehicles more effective is going to ruin the look of the facility. He also claims these are expensive changes. What will the cost be is conveniently not mentioned. Would it be under $1.2 million? Apparently the lives of seniors in their sunset years are not as important as trying to save them in the event of an emergency. His claim that implementing these changes will make the housing less desirable because of the removal of the grass in this “stunning environment” is absurd. The fire department proposal setting senior residents’ safety as paramount should take preference over the look of the facility. His argument to keep the good-looking facility the way it is is amazingly short-sighted, risky to the lives of those living there, and contrary to his actions taken with almost every other project. How so you ask?
When Westhab purchased the property at 22 Tarrytown Road with county, state and federal funding, they requested variances for the setback, seeking to build literally from the curb to the respective edges of the property. To ensure approval of this variance, they promised a green roof in place of the resulting less porous area. Mr Feiner could not approve their request fast enough! Residents clamored about the safety of a recreational green roof, the increased impervious space and flood water runoff. Mr Feiner did not flinch and illogically supported their proposal. When Brightview Assisted Living sought to do the same thing, again Mr Feiner was first in line. The list continues as Mr Feiner chooses whichever side will garner him more votes. It must stop!
WestHelp will eventually begin to change as MRH moves to begin implementing the contract with the Town that they got by lying on their bid application to the Town. Lying seems to be a hallmark of the Feiner Administration. The lies that germinate from the Town’s administration changes as quickly as the headlines do. The public never seems to remember and whatever the Supervisor says must be true. This behavior is finally catching up with the Mr Feiner.
“Would you prefer to live in a campus environment-with beautiful gardens and lawns? Or, would you want to live in an apartment complex that is paved over? We want the parking placed a short distance from the current WESTHELP campus.” Generally, so do we. But we refuse to stay with the status quo while risking the lives of the residents there! If the alternative is being homeless, we’re pretty sure most people will be happy to walk across the paved lot and enjoy the view of the woods some 50 feet away. Drop this facade Mr Feiner and work on undoing the damage done by you and your administration.
While Mr Feiner continues to show interest in green space, solar energy, shutting down Indian Point, saving the TZ bridge, biking to Timbuktu and the like, he should be spending his time administering the Town’s government. He has spent 22-years not doing that and it is why we find ourselves with convoluted regulations, fees and fines against businesses that are increasing the For Sale and For Rent signs throughout the Town. Our businesses need a business-friendly environment. Once we have this, the exodus from Greenburgh will ebb. We need real tax relief for our residents to slow and stop their exodus. We need our infrastructure updated and modernized. We need flooding addressed Town-wide. The list goes on. Speaking of exoduses, it’s time for the Democratic portion of the electorate to make an important decision regarding an exodus on September 10. Please come out and vote. We need A Better Greenburgh.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Bernstein On WestHelp
We are publishing Mr Bernsteins Press Release as a courtesy as other media sources will only focus on Mr Feiner. This is in the effort of fair play and not an admission of agreement or endorsement with what is said.
Democratic candidate for Greenburgh town supervisor Bob Bernstein said today Supervisor Paul Feiner's proposed 18-year lease of the 108 county-owned apartments at WestHELP – once the Town's largest non-tax source of revenue – is a “complete mess that can't be fixed and won't guarantee affordable housing or revenue to the Town.”
According to its lease with the county, the town is required to use the 108 apartments for low or moderate income rental housing. Mr. Feiner twice failed to respond to a county request to extend the WestHELP lease for an additional 10-year period through 2021 and has kept the premises vacant and deteriorating for the past 21 months with no revenue to the Town.
With the County Board of Legislators threatening to place the town in default for not maintaining the property or using it as required, Mr. Feiner has proposed entering a lease with Group MRH, a start-up company with no affordable housing experience, that previously proposed $2 million in repairs, which it offered to allow the Town to hold in escrow, and a $500,000 a year rent payment to the Town.
The proposed lease makes no mention of the $2 million in renovations or any escrow and provides no protection at all to taxpayers the property will be maintained, properly managed, or even used for affordable housing. Furthermore, even though no school-age children are expected to live there, the lease gives the town the right to divert a substantial portion of the rent to the Valhalla School District in “property taxes” which the Town says it will levy and pay for itself, thus giving the Valhalla School District revenues a court had previously ruled were illegal.
Under Mr. Feiner's proposed lease, all the Town can do in the event MRH fails to pay rent, to use the property for affordable housing, or maintain the property, is demand MRH “cause the Premises to be vacated” and “deliver vacant possession” to the Town.
“This makes no sense,” Mr. Bernstein said. “It means if there's ever a default, the town would have to force MRH to put innocent tenants on the street in order to get a new company to come in and make things right. No municipality would ever do that.”
Under the terms of the county's lease with the Town, no subleasing is permitted without the county's express written consent. Mr. Bernstein said Mr. Feiner's proposed lease is “such a non-starter that the WestHELP apartments will now probably remain vacant and deteriorating for the foreseeable future – much to the delight of the Tea Party Republicans who never wanted this housing built in the first place.”
The town-wide Democratic Primary for Town Supervisor will be held Tuesday, September 10.
Democratic candidate for Greenburgh town supervisor Bob Bernstein said today Supervisor Paul Feiner's proposed 18-year lease of the 108 county-owned apartments at WestHELP – once the Town's largest non-tax source of revenue – is a “complete mess that can't be fixed and won't guarantee affordable housing or revenue to the Town.”
According to its lease with the county, the town is required to use the 108 apartments for low or moderate income rental housing. Mr. Feiner twice failed to respond to a county request to extend the WestHELP lease for an additional 10-year period through 2021 and has kept the premises vacant and deteriorating for the past 21 months with no revenue to the Town.
With the County Board of Legislators threatening to place the town in default for not maintaining the property or using it as required, Mr. Feiner has proposed entering a lease with Group MRH, a start-up company with no affordable housing experience, that previously proposed $2 million in repairs, which it offered to allow the Town to hold in escrow, and a $500,000 a year rent payment to the Town.
The proposed lease makes no mention of the $2 million in renovations or any escrow and provides no protection at all to taxpayers the property will be maintained, properly managed, or even used for affordable housing. Furthermore, even though no school-age children are expected to live there, the lease gives the town the right to divert a substantial portion of the rent to the Valhalla School District in “property taxes” which the Town says it will levy and pay for itself, thus giving the Valhalla School District revenues a court had previously ruled were illegal.
Under Mr. Feiner's proposed lease, all the Town can do in the event MRH fails to pay rent, to use the property for affordable housing, or maintain the property, is demand MRH “cause the Premises to be vacated” and “deliver vacant possession” to the Town.
“This makes no sense,” Mr. Bernstein said. “It means if there's ever a default, the town would have to force MRH to put innocent tenants on the street in order to get a new company to come in and make things right. No municipality would ever do that.”
Under the terms of the county's lease with the Town, no subleasing is permitted without the county's express written consent. Mr. Bernstein said Mr. Feiner's proposed lease is “such a non-starter that the WestHELP apartments will now probably remain vacant and deteriorating for the foreseeable future – much to the delight of the Tea Party Republicans who never wanted this housing built in the first place.”
The town-wide Democratic Primary for Town Supervisor will be held Tuesday, September 10.
Sunday, June 9, 2013
Issues Updated
At a recent Civic
Association meeting, it was suggested that most residents are unaware of issues
affecting the taxpayers in Greenburgh and the differences between the two
candidates.
Here’s a list of topics
affecting the Town based on the actions of our current Supervisor and his Town
Board. We had compiled this list
but hadn’t posted it as it continued to grow and grow. Rather than wait to post
this, we thought we would post it and add to it with more topics as they come
to light.
Here is most of the issues we have so far:
The Edgemont Community
Council has been dealing with the Dromore Road zoning and building issues where
a developer intends to add a multi-family apartment building on a small piece
of property.
Mr Feiner and the Board are
racing through any and all building applications and projects, Spot-zoning
(illegally) parcels to accelerate developer growth before the Town’s
Comprehensive Plan can be proposed and adopted.
Fulton Park’s Civic
Association is dealing with Westhab’s building construction and possible violations
to no avail.
Fulton Park will next be
addressing the Deli Delicious drive-through proposal again.
The Parkway Homes Civic
Association found themselves surprised with Mr Feiner’s “slipping” another
group home into an already saturated area at 88 North Road. Low and behold,
Councilman Ken Jones is a member of their Board and said nothing to his
neighborhood.
The Glenview Civic
Association has had its issues with the very large Brightview Assisted Living
facility that asked for a zoning change from the Town Board to increase the
size of their building and any others built throughout the Town in the future. Brightview’s
attorneys wrote and the Board approved and subsequently received the approval
the wanted.
Glenville had just finished
with all the Stop and Shop issuess and violations only for Mr Feiner to find a
speck of undeveloped property in their neighborhood he would “gift” to this
developer. See above.
The Broadview Civic Association has wrestled with multiple issues with the New Mt. Vernon Neighborhood Health Center (dba Greenburgh Health Center) on Knollwood Road. The medical clinic is not suitably screened from adjoining residential districts, lacks an ADA compliant pedestrian sidewalk, mandated by the Town, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals. Excessive exterior lighting on the health center building impinges on residential area property.
The Broadview Civic Association has wrestled with multiple issues with the New Mt. Vernon Neighborhood Health Center (dba Greenburgh Health Center) on Knollwood Road. The medical clinic is not suitably screened from adjoining residential districts, lacks an ADA compliant pedestrian sidewalk, mandated by the Town, the Planning Board, the Zoning Board of Appeals. Excessive exterior lighting on the health center building impinges on residential area property.
The Building Inspector must obtain a current “as built survey” for
the site and compare this “as built survey” to the plans as originally approved
by the Town Board, the Planning Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Any
variances between the as built structure and the site plan as originally approved,
must be individually evaluated by each approving Board, and any additional
necessary variances granted or denied by the original approving Greenburgh
Boards.
The “mountable pedestrian traffic island” installed at the intersection of Knollwood and Tarrytown Roads is a serious public safety hazard to both pedestrians and motor vehicles.
The Village of Ardsley will
be getting at least half a million dollars from the sale of the Town-owned,
foreclosed upon former-Water Wheel property while other Villages and the
Unincorporated Town watch helplessly in disbelief.
Of course, the Cumberland
Farms deception on Central Avenue gave the Town Board a warped view on how the
Town could charge all Central Avenue Service Stations a several thousand-dollar
fee (read: tax).
Let’s not forget the
Worthington-Woodlands Civic Association’s recent request to meet with the Town
Board to discuss the GameOn 365 propos...oh, wait a minute, Mr Feiner and his
Board just pushed that through without a public meeting after
promising to propose a few dates for them all to sit down together to discuss
it. Now it seems after many have
pointed out the Board members are individually liable if the Town sells to a
low-bidder, they are finally talking to House of Sports.
The guilty verdict against
the Town for the illegal sewer district billing by the Southern Greenville
Civic Association area keeps those people occupied, as the Town still hasn’t
followed the court-ordered restorations and refunds.
While we’re in that
neighborhood, lets not ignore the Toll Brothers development that has constantly
and continually violates many of the Town’s building regulations. Apparently, Mr
Feiner and the Board are happy to look the other way.
Of course in Valhalla, Mr
Feiner led the charge to break the lease stipulations with the County for the
WestHelp facility, allowed it to deteriorate and try to add a new tenant that
he did not have authority to do. Fortunately, NYS shot down this bad idea and
insisted the affordable housing remain just that. And while we would love to
see legal action taken against him for doing this, it would be
counterproductive and only cost us more money in guilty verdict judgments.
In the Payne Street area of Mazzaro
Park, Mr Feiner has promised security cameras by the end of the year to assist
increased security. There doesn’t appear to be any money in the proposed
capital budget for this. Another empty promise.
The north Elmsford-area
Civic Association of the Town will now be trying to reign in Mr Feiner with the
100 acres (50 in Greenburgh and 50 in Mt Pleasant) of construction near and on
the old Union Carbide property, increasing car and truck traffic to an already
impossible traffic situation on Rt 9A and other area roads. Record setting
flooding will continue to hammer anything south of the area during a “regular”
rainfall.
In fact, flooding throughout the Town has now become the norm
with a Supervisor and Town Board uninterested in helping flooded residents but
willing to sell off Town parcels to the developer du jour. Plans include
multiple big-box stores, more office space, 400+ condominiums and smaller
retail stores. No plans for increasing roadways or addressing flooding.
On Taxter Road we’ll see 400
more condominiums being built. White water rafting to Ardsley may be a new
sport from Elmsford with each rainfall.
On the Bronx River side of
the Town, Mr Feiner has done nothing to help those residents and businesses
with any type of flood relief maintenance.
There remains the Fortress
Bible Church decision* where Mr Feiner, Ms Juettner, and the Town Board were
found guilty of seven counts against them, including discrimination,
destruction of evidence and lying under oath. The cost of this decision has yet
to be announced but has been estimated to be as high as $8M.
* U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Robinson ruled on
Aug. 12 that the town impermissibly prevented the church from building a new
place of worship and school on Pomander Drive. In a unanimous three-judge panel decision, Judge John
Walker of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second
Circuit wrote that the Town Board violated the church's
rights under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, the
First Amendment and the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S.
Constitution.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Due Diligence?
So much for The Paul and his Town Board doing their “due diligence”! You’ll recall in Town Board meeting after meeting The Paul continually boasting, to the point of bragging, that the Town Board was doing their due diligence in choosing a company to take over and operate the WestHelp property. For two years now, Town residents, the NAACP and others were all insisting to return it to its proper intent as affordable housing. You may recall the town is contractually required to provide low/moderate income housing at the WestHelp property.
But in a move to purchase votes and endear himself with Valhalla residents and certain county republicans, The Paul ordered the apartments to remain vacant for nearly two years. He also insisted they remain left open to facilitate their ruination, ultimately requiring demolition. This would ensure no low/moderate income residents return to the bucolic Valhalla Hamlet and allow The Paul to gift the property to the unsuspecting Ferncliff School to build a new residential school for the developmentally disabled on the property. The state rejected that proposal last month, insistent the property be used for affordable housing as intended. Another of The Paul’s latest schemes that would backfire!
Month after month, meeting after meeting many residents, and specifically the G10, would ask what the criteria was for selecting a vendor for the property. The new catch phrase from The Paul and his Board was, “Yada, yada, yada. We are doing our due diligence.” You can easily substitute a host of words/expressions for the “yada, yada, yada’s”. These substitutes could be: “blah, blah, blah”; “go away, go away, go away”; “we’re in over our heads, we’re in over our heads, we’re in over our heads”; “help us, help us, help us”. The list is endless. And yet The Paul persisted they stick to their due diligence story – and they did. Due diligence actually requires doing something. It appears they did little, if anything.
It’s been about two years or so since The Paul decided to pull the plug on the Town’s most lucrative “do-nothing” contract with the County of Westchester. The Town earned $1.2M per year in rental payments from the County for the WestHelp property. Because of The Paul’s latest scheme, the taxpayers lost this cool $1.2M per year that will a) never be recouped; and b) never be replaced with anything even close. In the meantime, after doing their due diligence, The Paul instructed his Board to choose the bid from a new partnership made up of the Richman Organization and Group MRH. They did. This partnership proposal promised to pay Greenburgh $1.5M up front and almost $500,000 annually. The payments will continue through the year 2032. They will also spend approximately $2M in renovations. The Town won’t even be making half of what it was before this debacle began and the Ferncliff School is no closer to finding a new home.
Now it’s been uncovered through other people’s due diligence that there is no partnership between the Richmond Group and Group MRH! So what due diligence was The Paul and his go-along Board engaged in? Can we expect similar due diligence from them regarding other projects in the Town, such as the Frank’s Nursery property? Or how about the spot-zoning changes recently made to accommodate the Brightview Assisted Living facility just off of Benedict Avenue at Rt 119? How much due diligence was performed here?
The Brightview spot-zoning change, another “done-deal”, happened not only for the Brightview developers, but was passed by the Board under the guise of a Town-wide change to allow Assisted Living facilities throughout the Town. Justification for this spot-zoning for one developer was evenly spread out through the entire Town’s Unincorporated districts, allowing four story buildings on postage stamp sized properties in residential neighborhoods. Due diligence? Hardly. The attorneys for Brightview wrote the spot-zoning change to benefit themselves and The Paul and his Board voted to approve it, and fast! After all, Brightview is on a schedule and might withdraw their plan if they’re delayed. They’ve repeatedly said so.
Now that the WestHelp deal is done, The Paul openly stated that the two organizations are not a partnership. And when asked if this would alter the WestHelp property deal or not, The Paul, who begrudgingly only reverses course when he is mandated to do so by court rulings, said, “Not at all. It’s not really a big deal. Richman was never going to be the financial backer. There were zero misrepresentations on the part of (MRH).” Perhaps not – technically. But after all the espoused due diligence, ABG wonders what their due diligence actually was? And now that you do know something is amiss, most normal leaders, at least in business, would take pause, review, perhaps reopen the evaluations or reopen the RFP process. In a story ABG posted called “Under The Circus’ Big Tent” on April 26th, we quoted The Paul saying, “This is not a game. This is not entertainment. This is not a circus. This is a business. We have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Greenburgh to get the best possible deal for the Town.” This is a business? Really? Fiduciary responsibility? C’mon! Of course the representatives for MRH had no comment. They got what they wanted. Could this deal have been promised to them? You decide.
If this sounds a bit familiar to ABG readers, its because we’ve been living through this same scenario with another Unincorporated property and phantom business. The former Frank’s Nursery at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road was another “done-deal” brokered behind closed doors by The Paul and his Board with the “paper” company GameOn 365 before the Town acquired the property through foreclosure. Apparently, GameOn 365 did not have the money to purchase the property, so The Paul offered to lease it to them. A lease is simply illegal by county and state law. It wasn’t until a lawsuit was filed against The Paul and the Town that he withdrew his lease offer and offered to sell GameOn 365 the property – until House of Sports doubled the offer! That’s when The Paul and Francis “Back Pocket” Sheehan began a new mantra that they were only looking at “serious investors”. GameOn 365 had, and continues to have, no money. House of Sports is fully operational and has the financial resources to enter into the sale. Where’s The Paul’s fiduciary responsibility now? Business indeed!
The Town officials obviously did not do any due diligence and again made a deal with a questionable start-up company. Even more incredible is the arrogance of The Paul and his insistence to continue with this deal. ABG had hoped the Town’s due diligence would surprise us with a transaction that might get renovations underway immediately, help those in need of housing and follow the law. Once again, the Town leaders have failed miserably – this time with due diligence. Just as the investment company ads claim, that “Past performance is no guarantee of future results”, ABG is not confident The Paul and his complicit Board will do the right thing with the Frank’s Nursery property and provide us with different results. We can only hope.
But in a move to purchase votes and endear himself with Valhalla residents and certain county republicans, The Paul ordered the apartments to remain vacant for nearly two years. He also insisted they remain left open to facilitate their ruination, ultimately requiring demolition. This would ensure no low/moderate income residents return to the bucolic Valhalla Hamlet and allow The Paul to gift the property to the unsuspecting Ferncliff School to build a new residential school for the developmentally disabled on the property. The state rejected that proposal last month, insistent the property be used for affordable housing as intended. Another of The Paul’s latest schemes that would backfire!
Month after month, meeting after meeting many residents, and specifically the G10, would ask what the criteria was for selecting a vendor for the property. The new catch phrase from The Paul and his Board was, “Yada, yada, yada. We are doing our due diligence.” You can easily substitute a host of words/expressions for the “yada, yada, yada’s”. These substitutes could be: “blah, blah, blah”; “go away, go away, go away”; “we’re in over our heads, we’re in over our heads, we’re in over our heads”; “help us, help us, help us”. The list is endless. And yet The Paul persisted they stick to their due diligence story – and they did. Due diligence actually requires doing something. It appears they did little, if anything.
It’s been about two years or so since The Paul decided to pull the plug on the Town’s most lucrative “do-nothing” contract with the County of Westchester. The Town earned $1.2M per year in rental payments from the County for the WestHelp property. Because of The Paul’s latest scheme, the taxpayers lost this cool $1.2M per year that will a) never be recouped; and b) never be replaced with anything even close. In the meantime, after doing their due diligence, The Paul instructed his Board to choose the bid from a new partnership made up of the Richman Organization and Group MRH. They did. This partnership proposal promised to pay Greenburgh $1.5M up front and almost $500,000 annually. The payments will continue through the year 2032. They will also spend approximately $2M in renovations. The Town won’t even be making half of what it was before this debacle began and the Ferncliff School is no closer to finding a new home.
Now it’s been uncovered through other people’s due diligence that there is no partnership between the Richmond Group and Group MRH! So what due diligence was The Paul and his go-along Board engaged in? Can we expect similar due diligence from them regarding other projects in the Town, such as the Frank’s Nursery property? Or how about the spot-zoning changes recently made to accommodate the Brightview Assisted Living facility just off of Benedict Avenue at Rt 119? How much due diligence was performed here?
The Brightview spot-zoning change, another “done-deal”, happened not only for the Brightview developers, but was passed by the Board under the guise of a Town-wide change to allow Assisted Living facilities throughout the Town. Justification for this spot-zoning for one developer was evenly spread out through the entire Town’s Unincorporated districts, allowing four story buildings on postage stamp sized properties in residential neighborhoods. Due diligence? Hardly. The attorneys for Brightview wrote the spot-zoning change to benefit themselves and The Paul and his Board voted to approve it, and fast! After all, Brightview is on a schedule and might withdraw their plan if they’re delayed. They’ve repeatedly said so.
Now that the WestHelp deal is done, The Paul openly stated that the two organizations are not a partnership. And when asked if this would alter the WestHelp property deal or not, The Paul, who begrudgingly only reverses course when he is mandated to do so by court rulings, said, “Not at all. It’s not really a big deal. Richman was never going to be the financial backer. There were zero misrepresentations on the part of (MRH).” Perhaps not – technically. But after all the espoused due diligence, ABG wonders what their due diligence actually was? And now that you do know something is amiss, most normal leaders, at least in business, would take pause, review, perhaps reopen the evaluations or reopen the RFP process. In a story ABG posted called “Under The Circus’ Big Tent” on April 26th, we quoted The Paul saying, “This is not a game. This is not entertainment. This is not a circus. This is a business. We have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of Greenburgh to get the best possible deal for the Town.” This is a business? Really? Fiduciary responsibility? C’mon! Of course the representatives for MRH had no comment. They got what they wanted. Could this deal have been promised to them? You decide.
If this sounds a bit familiar to ABG readers, its because we’ve been living through this same scenario with another Unincorporated property and phantom business. The former Frank’s Nursery at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road was another “done-deal” brokered behind closed doors by The Paul and his Board with the “paper” company GameOn 365 before the Town acquired the property through foreclosure. Apparently, GameOn 365 did not have the money to purchase the property, so The Paul offered to lease it to them. A lease is simply illegal by county and state law. It wasn’t until a lawsuit was filed against The Paul and the Town that he withdrew his lease offer and offered to sell GameOn 365 the property – until House of Sports doubled the offer! That’s when The Paul and Francis “Back Pocket” Sheehan began a new mantra that they were only looking at “serious investors”. GameOn 365 had, and continues to have, no money. House of Sports is fully operational and has the financial resources to enter into the sale. Where’s The Paul’s fiduciary responsibility now? Business indeed!
The Town officials obviously did not do any due diligence and again made a deal with a questionable start-up company. Even more incredible is the arrogance of The Paul and his insistence to continue with this deal. ABG had hoped the Town’s due diligence would surprise us with a transaction that might get renovations underway immediately, help those in need of housing and follow the law. Once again, the Town leaders have failed miserably – this time with due diligence. Just as the investment company ads claim, that “Past performance is no guarantee of future results”, ABG is not confident The Paul and his complicit Board will do the right thing with the Frank’s Nursery property and provide us with different results. We can only hope.
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Residents To Lose To Outside Developers
There was a new organized proposal about two Town Board meetings ago that had an immediate buy-in from The Paul from Homes for Westchester, a consortium of six affordable housing groups that work toward “streamlining” the affordable housing projects process in Westchester. Their aim is to speed up the approval process and get their affordable housing projects sped through the system. Their claim is that it takes much too long for them. They cite not-for-profit as well as for-profit companies having to spend so much time time for approvals that it can make affordable housing unaffordable. Really?
The process in the Town is extremely convoluted sometimes but more complicated than other communities. In Greenburgh for instance, to re-roof your home doesn’t require a permit. But if you use more than one sheet of plywood during the renovation, a permit is required. Approvals for homeowners require plans and their submission, attendance at zoning and planning board meetings, etc. The process can go for as long as a year and may be more. And, there’s no guarantee that your project will get the green light from the Town. There are some good things that come from this process from a safety perspective.
Tony Hoeltzel, the “front man” for this consortium, along with Joan Arnold, gave examples of the supposedly difficult process he’s been a part of in numerous communities. In Greenburgh, The Paul and his go-along Stepford Board will rush affordable housing projects through the system in the blink of an eye. Planning Commissioner Thomas “Can’t Say No” Madden will even meet with and assist developers with their planning. Residents don’t get this same hand-holding. In fact, if they miss something on their submission applications, they are denied, told the application is not correct and sent to the back of the line to start all over again. This doesn’t often happen with affordable housing proponents. Residents are seeking changes to their largest investments while the outside developers are simply coming in to make a buck!
Hoeltzel claimed of one project that took thirty three meetings to get approved, thus his comment about the unaffordability of affordable housing. ABG is sure this project was not in Greenburgh. Perhaps he should seek another line of work if he doesn’t like having to participate in the same processes the residents and taxpayers must to protect and cultivate their Towns and Villages. In particular, in our Town where The Paul will rubber stamp all projects from a select group of developers as affordable, ABG doubts this service really needed? The Paul with his complicit Board, along with Thomas “Can’t Say No” Madden and in concert with Building Inspector John Locido, approve every project, no matter how inappropriate, as long as the developer mentions a few buzzwords: affordable, low-income, workforce, municipal workers and of course veterans and senior citizens.
This effort is nothing more than a special interest group seeking to circumvent the rules and regulations of the Town for their own gain. They are playing the “not for profit” card like its some sort of panacea for housing. Its not. These “not for profit” owners garner extremely attractive salaries. Many of their more senior employees, such as their attorneys, engineers and designers also make very enviable salaries while living under the “not for profit” moniker. So, at the end of the year, when their well-paid accountants are preparing their books to show “no profit”, their balance sheets may not show a profit but everyone was handsomely compensated. That is the only significant difference between them and a “for profit” developer. Well, that and the various tax breaks afforded to them that the “for profit” developer doesn’t receive, increasing the playing field to be even more disproportionate.
The Paul favors this action. Why wouldn’t he? Its right in line with his continued “ghettoization” of the Fairview section of Greenburgh which is currently running on all cylinders. While the Town did not have to participate in the Westchester County HUD Housing Settlement because there was, to quote The Paul, “An over abundance of affordable housing in Greenburgh,” the reality is he’s over-saturated this one area while protecting votes in others. It’s time for the residents to be heard! We do not need special interest groups with their own agendas having a special line that allows them to get their own dispensation for their projects while the owners of the Town, the resident taxpayers, are forced to wait on longer and slower moving lines. This must be stopped! We can only hope.
The process in the Town is extremely convoluted sometimes but more complicated than other communities. In Greenburgh for instance, to re-roof your home doesn’t require a permit. But if you use more than one sheet of plywood during the renovation, a permit is required. Approvals for homeowners require plans and their submission, attendance at zoning and planning board meetings, etc. The process can go for as long as a year and may be more. And, there’s no guarantee that your project will get the green light from the Town. There are some good things that come from this process from a safety perspective.
Tony Hoeltzel, the “front man” for this consortium, along with Joan Arnold, gave examples of the supposedly difficult process he’s been a part of in numerous communities. In Greenburgh, The Paul and his go-along Stepford Board will rush affordable housing projects through the system in the blink of an eye. Planning Commissioner Thomas “Can’t Say No” Madden will even meet with and assist developers with their planning. Residents don’t get this same hand-holding. In fact, if they miss something on their submission applications, they are denied, told the application is not correct and sent to the back of the line to start all over again. This doesn’t often happen with affordable housing proponents. Residents are seeking changes to their largest investments while the outside developers are simply coming in to make a buck!
Hoeltzel claimed of one project that took thirty three meetings to get approved, thus his comment about the unaffordability of affordable housing. ABG is sure this project was not in Greenburgh. Perhaps he should seek another line of work if he doesn’t like having to participate in the same processes the residents and taxpayers must to protect and cultivate their Towns and Villages. In particular, in our Town where The Paul will rubber stamp all projects from a select group of developers as affordable, ABG doubts this service really needed? The Paul with his complicit Board, along with Thomas “Can’t Say No” Madden and in concert with Building Inspector John Locido, approve every project, no matter how inappropriate, as long as the developer mentions a few buzzwords: affordable, low-income, workforce, municipal workers and of course veterans and senior citizens.
This effort is nothing more than a special interest group seeking to circumvent the rules and regulations of the Town for their own gain. They are playing the “not for profit” card like its some sort of panacea for housing. Its not. These “not for profit” owners garner extremely attractive salaries. Many of their more senior employees, such as their attorneys, engineers and designers also make very enviable salaries while living under the “not for profit” moniker. So, at the end of the year, when their well-paid accountants are preparing their books to show “no profit”, their balance sheets may not show a profit but everyone was handsomely compensated. That is the only significant difference between them and a “for profit” developer. Well, that and the various tax breaks afforded to them that the “for profit” developer doesn’t receive, increasing the playing field to be even more disproportionate.
The Paul favors this action. Why wouldn’t he? Its right in line with his continued “ghettoization” of the Fairview section of Greenburgh which is currently running on all cylinders. While the Town did not have to participate in the Westchester County HUD Housing Settlement because there was, to quote The Paul, “An over abundance of affordable housing in Greenburgh,” the reality is he’s over-saturated this one area while protecting votes in others. It’s time for the residents to be heard! We do not need special interest groups with their own agendas having a special line that allows them to get their own dispensation for their projects while the owners of the Town, the resident taxpayers, are forced to wait on longer and slower moving lines. This must be stopped! We can only hope.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Why No Decision?
With the WestHelp fiasco finally behind us after New York State’s representatives stated they would not endorse demolishing existing, albeit decaying, affordable housing, we continue to watch The Paul and his Board sit on their proverbial hands as the lessee of this facility. The Paul had requested proposals for the property some time back. ABG is convinced this was nothing more than his typical stall tactic while he waited for the circling wagons of support to make their final decision his way. Ever the shrewd politician, he began this debacle over two years ago when he hatched yet another lawsuit-worthy scheme!
If you follow ABG, we had been against what The Paul was doing with the WestHelp property all along. Others had been against him as well and we have all prevailed on the side on logic, common sense, societal decency, and by a rudimentary understanding of the contractual agreement the town maintained with the county! It was no surprise to many of us that this proposed WestHelp destruction for the benefit of the Ferncliff School of Yonkers would never materialize. Being proved right does not make us feel like the victor. ABG and others feel terrible that the Ferncliff School was duped and set back by The Paul’s maneuvering and manipulation of them. ABG has written about this sort of behavior from The Paul. It’s a shame that Ferncliff lost two valuable years in their search for a new location because of his lying and scheming!
But what of the property now? While this two-year long saga dragged on, the property was intentionally left abandoned by The Paul and the Town. Open to the elements, stripped of piping and appliances, vandalism, and animal destruction, it’s estimated to cost about $3M to renovate the facility before it can be used again. That’s about the same amount of money the Town could have made, not lost, had the Town simply secured the facility. The Greenburgh Housing Authority has people in need of housing which could have satisfied about half of their list of people had The Paul and his Board elected to simply put them in the facility once the County ceased to utilize it. Everybody lost by the Town not resigning the contract with the County, especially it’s own residents in need of a home. Its a shame the we continued to lose the $1.2M per year in rent by The Paul and not house people in need of existing affordable housing.
Again, what of the property now? The last Town Board work session had a few of the bidders for the property “re-present” their RFP, with one company increasing their cash offering by doubling it. Then, shortly thereafter, they withdrew from the bidding. ABG believes if The Paul and his Board operated in ernest, and did a legitimate RFP process each time there was Town involvement in a property for sale, we would see higher amounts offered. But there appears to be nothing but collusive actions every way we turn, so it’s difficult to know how successful the Town might actually be in a process of true “open government” was practiced.
There are two properties in the Town languishing under The Paul’s distorted view of what our Town needs. First is the obvious degradation and proposed ruining of the WestHelp facility for him to garner favor with County Executive Rob Astorino, County Legislator Michael Smith and County Communications Director Ned McCormack. Of course, the gain for The Paul is a recouping of lost Valhalla votes after having his illegal payments to the school board stopped in court! The second property is at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road. It’s the old Frank’s Nursery property that The Paul tried to illegal lease to GameOn 365 with another back room deal. There are numerous issues here as well but a much simpler solution from which several might be offered. The Town should do the site remediation that is required to make the property “whole” and then offer it for sale instead of trying to finagle a way to get someone else to pay for the cleanup. If The Paul’s concern for the Ferncliff School were genuine, he and the Board would sell the property to Ferncliff School and kill two birds with one stone. If not, ask for an RFP for the property instead of making another illegal back room deal for it. Assume the land, remediate it and make it another ball field/park within the Town. One of the two recreation commissioners (duplicate positions) said we need more fields for the Town. ABG believes this was a dishonest plea, sought and paid for by The Paul as an endorsement of the GameOn 365 deal he brokered prior to the Town acquiring the foreclosed upon property.
The Town had RFP’s submitted a month ago. Now The Paul is playing more games and re-interviewing the companies’ and their submissions. Why has no decision been rendered when they’ve had enough time to proceed? ABG doesn’t buy their constant reply of doing their due diligence. Their operational incompetence will not matter how much due diligence is done. Regardless of the lies, back room dealings and promises made, the Town has the ability to right this extremely wrong position - twice - and get the Town back on track. We can only hope.
If you follow ABG, we had been against what The Paul was doing with the WestHelp property all along. Others had been against him as well and we have all prevailed on the side on logic, common sense, societal decency, and by a rudimentary understanding of the contractual agreement the town maintained with the county! It was no surprise to many of us that this proposed WestHelp destruction for the benefit of the Ferncliff School of Yonkers would never materialize. Being proved right does not make us feel like the victor. ABG and others feel terrible that the Ferncliff School was duped and set back by The Paul’s maneuvering and manipulation of them. ABG has written about this sort of behavior from The Paul. It’s a shame that Ferncliff lost two valuable years in their search for a new location because of his lying and scheming!
But what of the property now? While this two-year long saga dragged on, the property was intentionally left abandoned by The Paul and the Town. Open to the elements, stripped of piping and appliances, vandalism, and animal destruction, it’s estimated to cost about $3M to renovate the facility before it can be used again. That’s about the same amount of money the Town could have made, not lost, had the Town simply secured the facility. The Greenburgh Housing Authority has people in need of housing which could have satisfied about half of their list of people had The Paul and his Board elected to simply put them in the facility once the County ceased to utilize it. Everybody lost by the Town not resigning the contract with the County, especially it’s own residents in need of a home. Its a shame the we continued to lose the $1.2M per year in rent by The Paul and not house people in need of existing affordable housing.
Again, what of the property now? The last Town Board work session had a few of the bidders for the property “re-present” their RFP, with one company increasing their cash offering by doubling it. Then, shortly thereafter, they withdrew from the bidding. ABG believes if The Paul and his Board operated in ernest, and did a legitimate RFP process each time there was Town involvement in a property for sale, we would see higher amounts offered. But there appears to be nothing but collusive actions every way we turn, so it’s difficult to know how successful the Town might actually be in a process of true “open government” was practiced.
There are two properties in the Town languishing under The Paul’s distorted view of what our Town needs. First is the obvious degradation and proposed ruining of the WestHelp facility for him to garner favor with County Executive Rob Astorino, County Legislator Michael Smith and County Communications Director Ned McCormack. Of course, the gain for The Paul is a recouping of lost Valhalla votes after having his illegal payments to the school board stopped in court! The second property is at 715 Dobbs Ferry Road. It’s the old Frank’s Nursery property that The Paul tried to illegal lease to GameOn 365 with another back room deal. There are numerous issues here as well but a much simpler solution from which several might be offered. The Town should do the site remediation that is required to make the property “whole” and then offer it for sale instead of trying to finagle a way to get someone else to pay for the cleanup. If The Paul’s concern for the Ferncliff School were genuine, he and the Board would sell the property to Ferncliff School and kill two birds with one stone. If not, ask for an RFP for the property instead of making another illegal back room deal for it. Assume the land, remediate it and make it another ball field/park within the Town. One of the two recreation commissioners (duplicate positions) said we need more fields for the Town. ABG believes this was a dishonest plea, sought and paid for by The Paul as an endorsement of the GameOn 365 deal he brokered prior to the Town acquiring the foreclosed upon property.
The Town had RFP’s submitted a month ago. Now The Paul is playing more games and re-interviewing the companies’ and their submissions. Why has no decision been rendered when they’ve had enough time to proceed? ABG doesn’t buy their constant reply of doing their due diligence. Their operational incompetence will not matter how much due diligence is done. Regardless of the lies, back room dealings and promises made, the Town has the ability to right this extremely wrong position - twice - and get the Town back on track. We can only hope.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Town Treats More Properties Like WestHelp
ABG was invited to look at two homes in one neighborhood during a tour of several Town locations for different reasons. We’re not making judgements of the people who may own these homes or their circumstances. We were told when we visited them that they were not occupied. These photos cannot capture the conditions that an “in-person” viewing did. The reason for our post with these two homes is that the condition of the homes present a danger to the residents, if in fact they are occupied, bring a negative image to the neighborhood, and ultimately reflect poorly on the Town’s code enforcement departments.
The first home is on Drisler Avenue and the second is on Lark Avenue, both in the Worthington Woodlands area of the Town. Unfortunately, they do not adequately show the true condition of what we witnessed. We knocked on a few neighbors doors and only found one person willing to admit that they had contacted the Town about trying to get some attention to these homes. Her concerns were to have repairs made before they became either too damaged, infested with rodents, used by squatters or stripped by thieves. She explained her pleas to The Paul fell on deaf ears.
It is incumbent on the Town Building Department to secure the safety of all our residents, not only on the streets, but perhaps from themselves through neglect. The Paul and his Stepford Board never seem to miss an opportunity to create a new fee (tax) for the Building Department to charge residents. If the owners of these homes need help, we should find a way to help them fix what needs to be fixed. If these homes are simply unoccupied because the owners passed away, is incapacitated, too old or frail to make repairs, or in foreclosure, let them investigate and find every way to make them habitable.
Saturday, January 19, 2013
WestHelp Fiasco Has Gone On Far Too Long
ABG has previously posted the arguments as well as the illegal actions of The Paul toward the WestHelp facility as he tries to buy votes from the Mt. Pleasant/Valhalla N.I.M.B.Y. crowd. The Paul and his Board has purposefully allowed viable, structurally sound apartments that he in part, authorized, endorsed and even helped build while a County Legislator, fall into disrepair. Now, as Town Supervisor, he has changed his tune with affordable housing, claiming we have a glut of affordable housing in Greenburgh, and is doing a 180° reversal, insisting we tear down this affordable housing!
At a forum meeting sponsored by the N.A.A.C.P. last week, he showed his true colors by making racist remarks and insulting the members in attendance and the work they did years ago to get these apartments built! Visibly stunned after being held to task for making his comments, he stammered to come up with a tolerable answer. The audience wasn’t buying. You can read more on previous ABG posts, “Feiner Insults N.A.A.C.P.” in two parts.
At a forum meeting sponsored by the N.A.A.C.P. last week, he showed his true colors by making racist remarks and insulting the members in attendance and the work they did years ago to get these apartments built! Visibly stunned after being held to task for making his comments, he stammered to come up with a tolerable answer. The audience wasn’t buying. You can read more on previous ABG posts, “Feiner Insults N.A.A.C.P.” in two parts.
There was a “Contacts” sheet provided at the meeting and we’ve had requests from our loyal readers for that information so they could reach out to our elected officials regarding this travesty that has gone on for far too long. ABG is happy to oblige.
Here is the contact information:
Town of Greenburgh:
Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave., White Plains, NY 10603
Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner: pfeiner@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1540
Town Council members (914-993-1544 + Ext.):
Kevin Morgan: kmorgan@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1544 x 3
Diana Juettner: djuettner@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1544 x 2
Francis Sheehan: fsheehan@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1544 x 4
(Note: Sheehan repeatedly & openly states at meetings he does not read emails)
Kenneth Jones: kjones@greenburghny.com 914-993-1544 x1
Westchester County
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, 148 Martine A ve. White Plains, NY10601
914-995-2900
Westchester County Board of Legislators
800 Michaelian Office Building 148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor White Plains, New York 10601
Main Tel: (914)995-2800;
Chairman Ken Jenkins
995-2829
John Testa, Peekskill
995-2828
Peter Harckham, Bedford, Majority Leader
995-2810
Michael Smith, Greenburgh
995-2847
Michael Kaplowitz, Somers
995-2848
David Gelfarb, Rye
995-2834
Bill Ryan, White Plains
995-2827
Judith Myers, Mamaroneck
995-2802
Alfreda Williams, Greenburgh
995-2833
Catherine Borgia, Ossining
995-2812
Sheila Marcotte, Eastchester
995-2817
Jim Maisano, Minority Leader, New Rochelle
995-2826
Mary Jane Shimsky, Greenburgh
995-2821
Lyndon Williams, Mount Vernon
995-2837
Bernice Spreckman, Yonkers
995-2815
Gordon Burrows, Yonkers
995-2830
Ken Jenkins, Yonkers, Chariman
995-2829
Virginia Perez, Yonkers
995-2846
New York State
NY State Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
(518) 474-8390
Representing Greenburgh in Albany:
State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins,
28 Wells Avenue Building 3
Town of Greenburgh:
Greenburgh Town Hall, 177 Hillside Ave., White Plains, NY 10603
Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner: pfeiner@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1540
Town Council members (914-993-1544 + Ext.):
Kevin Morgan: kmorgan@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1544 x 3
Diana Juettner: djuettner@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1544 x 2
Francis Sheehan: fsheehan@greenburghny.com; 914-993-1544 x 4
(Note: Sheehan repeatedly & openly states at meetings he does not read emails)
Kenneth Jones: kjones@greenburghny.com 914-993-1544 x1
Westchester County
Westchester County Executive Rob Astorino, 148 Martine A ve. White Plains, NY10601
914-995-2900
Westchester County Board of Legislators
800 Michaelian Office Building 148 Martine Avenue, 8th Floor White Plains, New York 10601
Main Tel: (914)995-2800;
Chairman Ken Jenkins
995-2829
John Testa, Peekskill
995-2828
Peter Harckham, Bedford, Majority Leader
995-2810
Michael Smith, Greenburgh
995-2847
Michael Kaplowitz, Somers
995-2848
David Gelfarb, Rye
995-2834
Bill Ryan, White Plains
995-2827
Judith Myers, Mamaroneck
995-2802
Alfreda Williams, Greenburgh
995-2833
Catherine Borgia, Ossining
995-2812
Sheila Marcotte, Eastchester
995-2817
Jim Maisano, Minority Leader, New Rochelle
995-2826
Mary Jane Shimsky, Greenburgh
995-2821
Lyndon Williams, Mount Vernon
995-2837
Bernice Spreckman, Yonkers
995-2815
Gordon Burrows, Yonkers
995-2830
Ken Jenkins, Yonkers, Chariman
995-2829
Virginia Perez, Yonkers
995-2846
New York State
NY State Gov. Andrew Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
(518) 474-8390
Representing Greenburgh in Albany:
State Sen. Andrea Stewart-Cousins,
28 Wells Avenue Building 3
Yonkers, NY 10701
914-423-4031
Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti
303 South Broadway Suite 229
914-423-4031
Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti
303 South Broadway Suite 229
Tarrytown, NY 10591
914-631-1605
914-631-1605
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Feiner Insults NAACP - Part 2
ABG inadvertently omitted several points in our previous post about the forum held by the NAACP on Monday night. We hope to correct that with this post, hence, part 2.
While The Paul had the floor, he bragged about the scatter site housing near Manhattan Avenue that would be torn down to have new low income apartment buildings built in their place. Subsequent to that comment, when Legislator Alfreda Williams had the floor, she correctly pointed out that The Paul has purposely contained almost all of the low income housing in the Fairview section of the Town. And this latest project would just be a further continuation of that policy. She said the result has been the “ghetto-izing” the area! She also correctly pointed out that this is another form of discrimination that appears to have gone unchecked by The Paul.
When the creation of the WestHelp housing was being discussed, formulated and created, this same chapter of the NAACP was a participant group struggling to develop this property as a project for affordable housing. Back then, affordable housing was sometimes considered Welfare Housing and was often met with all kinds of resistance and derision, relegated mostly to the cities. In time, that moniker was eliminated. Regardless of what it was called, the Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association, as well as several now, high ranking County leaders (Astorino, McCormack, Smith) were, and still are, against the facility as a low income, affordable housing facility. They remain the embodiment of a portion of the Mt. Pleasant/Valhalla’s Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) crowd! You would hope high-ranking public officials would understand the value this property holds as existing housing?
To Williams’ credit, she also stated that The Paul requested RFP’s for this property. For the uninitiated, that is a Request For Proposal that developers will submit to the Town proposing work to be done. Bidders would like to receive the awarded contract. There were six proposals, with the Ferncliff School being one of them. Ferncliff’s proposal is to tear down the apartments and build a new facility. The others were all proposing some kind of affordable, senior, low-income, municipal and/or emergency services housing. Williams’ point was that after inspection, they all maintained that while the apartments needed various levels of work, these were still well-built, viable and usable apartments that will have a long future of use. This is contrary to The Paul’s statements that these apartments are in such disrepair the facility needs to be destroyed. ABG would like to point out that while these RFP’s were submitted in ernest, they weren’t requested in ernest by The Paul. It was another deflection on his part.
As The Paul rattled off a list of affordable housing in the Town, focused primarily in Fairview, he touted the new soon to be opened Westhab housing facility at Tarrytown and Old Kensico Roads. He lied about working with the neighborhood. He lied about the neighborhood being in favor of the project. He lied when he said Greenburgh’s employees will live there. They will only live there if their name might be chosen from a tri-state lottery. William’s countered with the truth and acknowledged that a resident was in the audience and willing speak to The Paul’s comments. He was never called on to speak.
ABG knows that The Paul had promised the Fulton Park neighborhood something completely different. Some twenty years earlier, when the old property was a former hotel called the King’s Inn, he told the neighborhood that if and when the homeless population were removed by the County, he would want to see a Senior Citizen Living Facility at the site. The neighborhood worked intimately with Westhab and it’s residents to maintain a pleasant relationship. The facility that will be opening in a few months will not have seniors, municipal employees and might have two or three veterans - as promised to the Town Board after they Spot-Zoned the property to accommodate the developer. ABG’s guess it it will invariably be filled with DSS and Section 8 recipients, hardly the senior facility he promised.
While The Paul was a Westchester County Legislator, he was in favor of the WestHelp affordable housing site. Wilson’s one and only question asked of The Paul, was, “Why did you support the WestHelp affordable housing when you were a County Legislator but now as Town supervisor you won’t support it?” The question went unanswered. Time would ultimately be the audience’s enemy and The Paul’s rescuer. Before they could extract an answer from The Paul, the NAACP President was forced to end the dialog as their time for the space had run out and the crowd had to leave.
It was apparent to those in attendance that The Paul insulted the NAACP’s members and good work they have done to create affordable housing in Westchester and Greenburgh. More importantly, The Paul exposed himself as the racist he is when he discussed people of color and the segregated clustering of affordable housing in the Fairview section of the Town! He has ruled the Town for 21 years and while he’s been able to mask his bad behavior with his bumbling persona, his armor has finally wore thin and the chinks are beginning to expose him for what he is. It’s time for him to go. We can only hope.
While The Paul had the floor, he bragged about the scatter site housing near Manhattan Avenue that would be torn down to have new low income apartment buildings built in their place. Subsequent to that comment, when Legislator Alfreda Williams had the floor, she correctly pointed out that The Paul has purposely contained almost all of the low income housing in the Fairview section of the Town. And this latest project would just be a further continuation of that policy. She said the result has been the “ghetto-izing” the area! She also correctly pointed out that this is another form of discrimination that appears to have gone unchecked by The Paul.
When the creation of the WestHelp housing was being discussed, formulated and created, this same chapter of the NAACP was a participant group struggling to develop this property as a project for affordable housing. Back then, affordable housing was sometimes considered Welfare Housing and was often met with all kinds of resistance and derision, relegated mostly to the cities. In time, that moniker was eliminated. Regardless of what it was called, the Mayfair-Knollwood Civic Association, as well as several now, high ranking County leaders (Astorino, McCormack, Smith) were, and still are, against the facility as a low income, affordable housing facility. They remain the embodiment of a portion of the Mt. Pleasant/Valhalla’s Not In My Back Yard (NIMBY) crowd! You would hope high-ranking public officials would understand the value this property holds as existing housing?
To Williams’ credit, she also stated that The Paul requested RFP’s for this property. For the uninitiated, that is a Request For Proposal that developers will submit to the Town proposing work to be done. Bidders would like to receive the awarded contract. There were six proposals, with the Ferncliff School being one of them. Ferncliff’s proposal is to tear down the apartments and build a new facility. The others were all proposing some kind of affordable, senior, low-income, municipal and/or emergency services housing. Williams’ point was that after inspection, they all maintained that while the apartments needed various levels of work, these were still well-built, viable and usable apartments that will have a long future of use. This is contrary to The Paul’s statements that these apartments are in such disrepair the facility needs to be destroyed. ABG would like to point out that while these RFP’s were submitted in ernest, they weren’t requested in ernest by The Paul. It was another deflection on his part.
As The Paul rattled off a list of affordable housing in the Town, focused primarily in Fairview, he touted the new soon to be opened Westhab housing facility at Tarrytown and Old Kensico Roads. He lied about working with the neighborhood. He lied about the neighborhood being in favor of the project. He lied when he said Greenburgh’s employees will live there. They will only live there if their name might be chosen from a tri-state lottery. William’s countered with the truth and acknowledged that a resident was in the audience and willing speak to The Paul’s comments. He was never called on to speak.
ABG knows that The Paul had promised the Fulton Park neighborhood something completely different. Some twenty years earlier, when the old property was a former hotel called the King’s Inn, he told the neighborhood that if and when the homeless population were removed by the County, he would want to see a Senior Citizen Living Facility at the site. The neighborhood worked intimately with Westhab and it’s residents to maintain a pleasant relationship. The facility that will be opening in a few months will not have seniors, municipal employees and might have two or three veterans - as promised to the Town Board after they Spot-Zoned the property to accommodate the developer. ABG’s guess it it will invariably be filled with DSS and Section 8 recipients, hardly the senior facility he promised.
While The Paul was a Westchester County Legislator, he was in favor of the WestHelp affordable housing site. Wilson’s one and only question asked of The Paul, was, “Why did you support the WestHelp affordable housing when you were a County Legislator but now as Town supervisor you won’t support it?” The question went unanswered. Time would ultimately be the audience’s enemy and The Paul’s rescuer. Before they could extract an answer from The Paul, the NAACP President was forced to end the dialog as their time for the space had run out and the crowd had to leave.
It was apparent to those in attendance that The Paul insulted the NAACP’s members and good work they have done to create affordable housing in Westchester and Greenburgh. More importantly, The Paul exposed himself as the racist he is when he discussed people of color and the segregated clustering of affordable housing in the Fairview section of the Town! He has ruled the Town for 21 years and while he’s been able to mask his bad behavior with his bumbling persona, his armor has finally wore thin and the chinks are beginning to expose him for what he is. It’s time for him to go. We can only hope.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Feiner Insults NAACP
Dave Wilson of the Journal News was the moderator for the night. The NAACP was the host and a church in White Plains was the location. The forum on Monday night was a sounding board over the low income housing dilemma facing the County and the Town. The panel for the forum was composed of David “Tax Watch” Wilson, Robert Bernstein, an attorney who intervened with retired judge Herb Rosenberg on behalf of the Town to reclaim $1.2M illegally paid to the Valhalla School District by The Paul. Alfreda Williams and MaryJane Shimsky, both County Legislators representing Greenburgh and other communities, were joined by County Legislator and County Executive Candidate, Ken Jenkins. Arriving late, as had been announced to the crowd, was The Paul.
Wilson began the evening with a slide presentation showing the WestHelp facility on the Westchester Community College campus. Bernstein was the first panelist to speak and highlighted several key points that appear to be in violation by The Paul and his Town Board. He read specific sections of the original contract and the case against The Paul seems damning! It basically said that the Town shall maintain the facility and the Town will continue to house low income residents in the facility. Both of those points have been unequivocally violated. Then the three legislators spoke. Jenkins assured everyone that the County is not against Ferncliff, a private company, and is also working closely with them to find an appropriate site for their school. He continued that The Paul should not be pitting the WestHelp property against Ferncliff. Both are equally worthy causes. Shimsky said that WestHelp is a valuable public asset that we cannot let go to waste under any circumstance. She furthered that there is obviously a need for affordable housing in our community. The crowd wholeheartedly agreed. Williams suggested that organizations such as this one could help by continuing to stay involved.
By arriving late, The Paul knew he would have limited exposure at this meeting. If he was lucky, he knew he could bloviate, dance a bit, get his agenda across and hope to be out of there without answering any real questions. After letting The Paul ramble on for about five minutes with an “opening statement”, Wilson asked Feiner one question, “Why did you support the WestHelp affordable housing when you were a County Legislator but now as Town supervisor you won’t support it?” Performing “The Paul shuffle”, he read from a piece of paper all the points he wanted to make, but never answered the question!
One woman in the back row put her head down on the table, shaking her head in disbelief while others could be overheard saying he wasn’t answering the question. After Wilson interrupted him twice and asked him to answer the question, he continued his rambling. We all know this is The Paul’s main deflection tactic. The woman in the back raised her hand and asked why he wouldn’t answer the question. People in the audience wanted substance. The audience was not happy with The Paul’s deflection. They demanded answers. After The Paul claimed that the DSS referred people mostly of color to affordable housing, one gentleman took offense to Feiner’s statement and asked why Feiner would put “people of color” in his statement? The Paul’s response was because he was at a meeting held by the NAACP. This did not bode well with the crowd, who let their displeasure be known.
Without a doubt, this could have been a good back-and-forth session with good questions and perhaps honest answers. But The Paul wasn’t there to participate in an honest dialog. Rather, he was there to campaign. But tonight, the crowd The Paul thought he could pander to wasn’t buying the goods – finally! Overheard after the meeting was the comment that, “The Town has a lot of bad things happening to it because of The Paul’s mismanagement and illegal actions, but we have a lot more good things happening to it too.” We just need to make sure we keep the good outweighing the bad.
To keep the good outweighing the bad, we need to vote The Paul out of office. This meeting may have been one of the first steps toward that end. We can only hope.
Wilson began the evening with a slide presentation showing the WestHelp facility on the Westchester Community College campus. Bernstein was the first panelist to speak and highlighted several key points that appear to be in violation by The Paul and his Town Board. He read specific sections of the original contract and the case against The Paul seems damning! It basically said that the Town shall maintain the facility and the Town will continue to house low income residents in the facility. Both of those points have been unequivocally violated. Then the three legislators spoke. Jenkins assured everyone that the County is not against Ferncliff, a private company, and is also working closely with them to find an appropriate site for their school. He continued that The Paul should not be pitting the WestHelp property against Ferncliff. Both are equally worthy causes. Shimsky said that WestHelp is a valuable public asset that we cannot let go to waste under any circumstance. She furthered that there is obviously a need for affordable housing in our community. The crowd wholeheartedly agreed. Williams suggested that organizations such as this one could help by continuing to stay involved.
By arriving late, The Paul knew he would have limited exposure at this meeting. If he was lucky, he knew he could bloviate, dance a bit, get his agenda across and hope to be out of there without answering any real questions. After letting The Paul ramble on for about five minutes with an “opening statement”, Wilson asked Feiner one question, “Why did you support the WestHelp affordable housing when you were a County Legislator but now as Town supervisor you won’t support it?” Performing “The Paul shuffle”, he read from a piece of paper all the points he wanted to make, but never answered the question!
One woman in the back row put her head down on the table, shaking her head in disbelief while others could be overheard saying he wasn’t answering the question. After Wilson interrupted him twice and asked him to answer the question, he continued his rambling. We all know this is The Paul’s main deflection tactic. The woman in the back raised her hand and asked why he wouldn’t answer the question. People in the audience wanted substance. The audience was not happy with The Paul’s deflection. They demanded answers. After The Paul claimed that the DSS referred people mostly of color to affordable housing, one gentleman took offense to Feiner’s statement and asked why Feiner would put “people of color” in his statement? The Paul’s response was because he was at a meeting held by the NAACP. This did not bode well with the crowd, who let their displeasure be known.
Without a doubt, this could have been a good back-and-forth session with good questions and perhaps honest answers. But The Paul wasn’t there to participate in an honest dialog. Rather, he was there to campaign. But tonight, the crowd The Paul thought he could pander to wasn’t buying the goods – finally! Overheard after the meeting was the comment that, “The Town has a lot of bad things happening to it because of The Paul’s mismanagement and illegal actions, but we have a lot more good things happening to it too.” We just need to make sure we keep the good outweighing the bad.
To keep the good outweighing the bad, we need to vote The Paul out of office. This meeting may have been one of the first steps toward that end. We can only hope.
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