In White Plains affordable housing is really affordable apartments because it only applies to apartments and only to those in new developments. The Common Council members all live in houses in the suburbs of White Plains and so are not directly affected. The last thing they want is an affordable person moving into the house next to theirs. They pontificate on the subject and as Dennis Power states, make this a cost of doing business for developers in White Plains.
CC members indicate that the idea is to make these apartments available to teachers, fire fighters and police officers. Why doesn't the CC simply increase the salaries of teachers, fire fighters and police officers so that they can live where they want and in the type of home that suits them? If that happened then all residents would be paying for affordable housing. By pretending to lay the cost on the developer, the CC makes this a no pain issue, at least for current residents.
But who thinks that the developer actually pays for affordable housing? My guess is that this cost is factored into the business plan and passed on to ... the non-affordable apartment renters or owners. Future constituents of the CC are made to pay for the phony good deed of the CC. I am also guessing that the system is abused royally as are rent stabilized apartments.
CC members pretend to represent all WP residents but they represent only the interests of those who live in houses in the suburbs of WP. This is another example of why WP needs CC members elected by district, not at large.
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