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Plan to increase housing in suburbs meets pushback by Hudson Valley leaders

March 7, 2023

News 12 Connecticut

By Lee Danuff and Nadia Galindo

A plan to increase housing in the suburbs is being met with pushback from some Hudson Valley leaders.

A roundtable discussion was attended by over a dozen local leaders at North Castle Town Hall on Tuesday. They agree there is a critical need for additional housing but say they oppose Gov. Kathy Hochul’s New York Housing Compact plan to solve that issue.

It would require municipalities in counties that the Metropolitan Transportation Authority serves to increase housing by 3% in the next three years.

Rep. Mike Lawler organized the gathering and said the plan requires a significant investment in infrastructure to support new residents and takes away local control.

“It would upend the constitutional rights of our local municipalities and force a one-size-fits-all approach to housing,” says Lawler. 

Hochul is proposing in her budget to include $250 million to fund housing infrastructure and $20 million for planning assistance. She promised to deliver more funding if necessary.

The state also recently met with Westchester municipal officials about the proposal.