9 million+ to Greenburgh for affordable housing!...at WESTHELP

Mark: Thank you for participating in the bid process for the WESTHELP property. We selected another company (they offered the town much more revenue) but appreciate your taking the time to meet with us. And, we also appreciate the work you put into the proposal.


I hope to continue to work with you on your current Greenburgh projects and hope you will consider managing other properties in Greenburgh when opportunities arise.

Thanks again.

PAUL FEINER





The Greenburgh Town Board unanimously selected MRH to lease the former WESTHELP property from the town. 108 affordable housing units will be rented.The town has rights to the property for 18+ years. MRH will give the town 9 million dollars over the 18+ years that the property is under town control. MRH has asked the Richman Group affordable housing corporation to provide property management and tenant compliance oversight for the affordable housing units at 1 West Help Drive. The Richman group is one of the nation’s leading investors in affordable housing with a portfolio which spans 49 states, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands and Guam. They provide affordable housing for 115,000 families.

MRH plans to target seniors and people 55+so they will not affect the local school system. Estimated rent: $1,134/mo/unit MRH has offered the town 3 payment options. I prefer option two which is listed below. MRH will also pay any tax increases on the property if the assessor determines that the property is taxable.



1 West Help Property Rent Payment Options



OPTION 1: $1,500,000 paid up front , $0 rent in year 2 and 3, $500,000 rent year 4-18.



OPTION 2: $1,500,000 paid up front , $441, 176.47 paid year 2 thru 18.



OPTION 3: $3.5M Lump Sum payment up front



This is a good deal for the town. The town will be able to put the property to a good use –affordable housing. The revenue we will receive far exceeds what we had expected from other affordable housing developers who had expressed interest in the proposal. Next step: finalizing the terms of the lease. MRH will be spending about 2 million on renovating the apartments . They hope that the units will be ready for occupancy later this year!

PAUL FEINER

applications for police camp ...new WESTHELP affordable housing proposals

The Town of Greenburgh Police Department Summer Youth Program applications are available starting TODAY at Police HQ’s.

For information, call Sergeant Robert J. Gramaglia, (914) 682-5391.

MRH/Richman has offered the town two additional options if the Town Board decides to lease the WESTHELP property to them. The Town Board will be holding a special meeting tomorrow morning at 9:30 AM to make the decision. Option 1 (posted Friday and posted along with the other proposals on the town website) offered no rent in years 2 and 3 because there is a $1.5 million up front payment. Some residents questioned the lack of rental payments for two years. Option 2 addresses that concern.

1 West Help Property Rent Payment Options

OPTION 1: $1,500,000 paid up front , $0 rent in year 2 and 3, $500,000 rent year 4-18.

OPTION 2: $1,500,000 paid up front , $441, 176.47 paid year 2 thru 18.

OPTION 3: $3.5M Lump Sum payment up front

NOTE: Please let us know before the lease starting date which option you choose to move forward with.

PAUL FEINER

town to proceed with affordable housing now that Ferncliff has been rejected

New York State has rejected a proposal by Ferncliff Manor, an organization that provides services to the developmentally disabled, to lease the WESTHELP property from the town. The Town Board had supported Ferncliff over other proposals. Ferncliff offered the town much more revenue than any of other bidders. And, we felt that it was important to provide a quality of life opportunity for the developmentally disabled population in a campus environment.



The Town Board will meet on Tuesday morning to select an affordable housing developer to lease the WESTHELP property from the town. We hope to make a final decision next week so we could quickly move on and put the property to a good public use. The existing WESTHELP units will be converted into affordable housing -targetting senior citizens.

PAUL FEINER

The following statement has been released to the press by Ferncliff Manor. We received a letter from OCFS (attached) rejecting Ferncliff’s application for the Westhelp site. Although the State Education Department continues to enage in a review of Ferncliff’s application, the ultimate decision must be made by the State Office of the Budget. Although State Ed reports to the Board of Regents rather than the Governor, DOB as well as OCFS report to the Governor’s office.

Statement from Pat and Bill Saich

Ferncliff Manor is shocked and disappointed by this news from OCFS, since we have been working with the agency on this proposal for nearly two years and had never been told of their negative views or the possibility that their support would suddenly be reversed without warning. Moreover, the position of OCFS seems to run counter to that of the State Department of Education, which as recently as two weeks ago indicated our proposal is in line with acceptable cost formulas. We will seek a meeting with both agencies to determine how they can apparently be at such odds with one another. We are particularly surprised that OCFS has an issue with the proposed lease value, since it was made with their knowledge and under their guidance.

Contrary to the views expressed for the first time today by OCFS, we are not aware of any viable alternative site for Ferncliff Manor. We stand ready to consult again with SED, OCFS and the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities in order to determine whether we can come up with another plan that will enable us to serve the children with developmental disabilities whose future is impacted by this decision.

We note that in their letter OCFS expresses concern that potential affordable housing stock may be removed in order to provide for our disabled children. This is a policy issue that rests with the State, not Ferncliff Manor.

We wish to thank County Executive Astorino, the majority of the Board of Legislators who supported our application in their letter to the Governor, as well as Greenburgh Supervisor Feiner and Town Board, Assembly members Paulin and Abinanti, and the countless others who stood ready to help us.

students organizing rally for sidewalks wednesday

Westchester Community College students are not only studying government – they are participating in the process. On Wednesday April 3rd from 11 AM to 1 PM the students will be exercising their constitutional rights and will be organizing a sidewalk rally to promote the need for sidewalks along Hillside Ave, Grasslands and Knollwood Roads, roads that are state owned and maintained. The students, led by Neish Dawkins, a Westchester Community College student Trustee and future political leader, hope that this rally will generate momentum that will encourage lawmakers to fund sidewalks in future capital budgets. Petition drives, press events, meetingswith lawmakers and state officials are among some of the activities that the student group hopes to organize.




I think that this is terrific! The best way for students to learn about their government is to be a part of the process. Students at the Community College are taking on an important cause—pedestrian safey – and will learn advocacy techniques. They will interact with lawmakers, try overcoming some obstacles and will encourage residents, elected officials and community leaders to reflect on the benefits sidewalks have on safety, healthy life styles.



Residents of Greenburgh are invited to stop by at the rally on Wednesday to congratulate the students for their involvement in the processes of government and to encourage them to stay involved and to speak up when they have concerns. Who knows? One of the students participating in the rally could be a future US Senator or Governor! Students will be congregating at 11 AM at the Gateway front lawn of the Westchester Community College (across from parking lot 11) towards the East Grasslands Gate (at the college gate closest to BOCES). The students will be holding signs and banners for about 30 minutes from 11:20 to 11:50. Afterwards, the students will return to the Gateway Center Auditorium where the sidewalk open forum will be held.



I will be speaking to the students, along with Town Clerk Judith Beville, around noon. Refreshments will be served at the Gateway Center (room 11) from 12:30 to 1 PM. I have invited student leaders to be my guest on my WVOX radio program tomorrow (Wednesday) from 1 to 1:30 PM (program is streamed live on the internet: www.wvox.com). The students who will be on my radio program are Westchester CC student Trustee Neish Dawkins, organizer of the rally, Student Government Association President Taje Champagnie, Vice President Cyndy Shaw, Director of Public Relations Alexander Sharpsteen.



A special thank you to the leadership of the Westchester Community College for motivating students to not only study government but to be a part of it!



PAUL FEINER