Westchester. The Village Board should consider lowering the threshold to provide the protections of ETPA to more residents in Croton to 10 or even to 6, which is the lowest number allowed by the New York ETPA statute. The Village should also consider an ETPA carveout for multifamily buildings that work directly with the Village to provide safe and affordable housing along the lines of the ETPA regulations passed by the Village of Ossining. Increased information and enforcement of our existing code creates the possibility that current tenants will be unable to live in their units because of code violations that make the unit unsafe or uninhabitable. The existence of illegal and substandard rental units in our Village benefits nobody except unscrupulous property owners. The discovery and repair of these unsafe conditions before they cause a life-endangering event risking harm to the tenant or to our first responder community is better for our Village even if it increases the risk of temporary displacement. This displacement cost should be borne by the landlord making use of our local hotel properties per regulation. However, to offset the inconvenience of displacement for affected tenants, the Village should work with our existing housing and assistance non-profits. Report of the Croton Housing Taskforce Page 11 B. Ensuring Fairness and Inclusion in Housing It is important for the Village to be proactive in ensuring that all applicants have fair and inclusive access to housing opportunities. This is important for several reasons, including that it is required by law and that open housing enables a vibrant and diverse community. In its current affordable housing requirement language, the Village does not specify how such units will be distributed or managed, which leaves open the potential that a developer with no experience in affordable housing will be responsible for a small number of units in their larger development. There is nothing to ensure appropriate experience and knowledge is applied in the marketing, rent-up or management of such units. To mitigate the risk that the set-aside units are not effectively managed, it is recommended that the Village require a commercial or private organization to enlist the assistance of an organization that specializes in affordable housing to assist with the units allocated to meet the affordable housing requirement. A list of Village-approved organizations would be made available to any project developer, who could then independently work out the details of a contractual relationship. There are 3 organizations that are currently known to the Village that fit the requirements for this role: Croton Housing Network, Inc.; Housing Action Council; and WestHab. Croton Housing Network (CHN) is a unique and invaluable asset to the Village as it seeks to protect and increase access to affordable housing. An all-volunteer organization, it has been active for over 30 years – completing six projects that have added 7 affordable home ownership opportunities and 29 affordable rental units. It has worked extensively with both Housing Action Council and WestHab for the creation and management of its own units. The Housing Action Council is a regional not-for-profit organization dedicated to expanding housing opportunities for low and moderate income households. Its role is to provide technical assistance and to expand the capacity of community-based organizations to sponsor affordable housing developments. In addition, it provides comprehensive home ownership and home improvement counseling, and provides program design and implementation services to municipalities. It currently manages the Yonkers Affordable Housing Department which is responsible for implementing a housing desegregation order. Westhab was founded to address the affordable housing crisis in Westchester County. It started by acquiring vacant buildings and renovating them into quality transitional and permanent housing and then expanded its focus to renovate and operate shelters in Westchester. Today, Westhab’s housing and social services are augmented by its property management services for other not-for-profits focused on affordable housing. Report of the Croton Housing Taskforce Page 12 It has become a leading organization in developing affordable and supportive housing, operating homeless shelters, and providing youth programs and employment services. By directing local developers to these organizations, the Village can assure the appropriate expertise is in place. Report of the Croton Housing Taskforce Page 13 C. Planning for the Future Croton-on-Hudson contains a diverse collection of housing stock with a heavy emphasis on single family development. What most gives Croton-on-Hudson its character though are the walkable, closely built areas in Harmon, Morningside and the Upper Village. These neighborhoods have long served Croton-on-Hudson by providing walkable neighborhoods, allowing for a diversity of incomes and a vibrant community. The 2003 Master Plan and the 2017 Update, while rightly celebrating the distinct nature of Crotonon-Hudson, did not proactively work to create new and expanded neighborhoods based on Croton’s strength. Therefore, planning for future development should always seek to build walkable neighborhoods, housing that is available and