At a recent village board meeting, Mamaroneck Mayor Sharon Torres ignited intense debate over the proposed Hunter Tier lot affordable housing development, raising serious concerns about the project’s approval process. This controversy unfolds against a backdrop of longstanding scrutiny faced by predominantly white communities in Westchester County for their lack of affordable housing.
Mayor Torres presented a series of emails and communications dating back to 2021 that suggested a potentially unethical relationship between village officials and the preferred developer, Westhab (WAB).
Key points raised by Mayor Torres included:
- As early as July 2021, WESTHAB had identified the Hunter Tier lot as their preferred site, well before the RFP process began.
- The RFP was allegedly tailored to favor WESTHAB, including language that gave preference to developers who had previously worked in the village.
- Emails revealed that some village officials were eager to push the project through before changes in board composition.
- WESTHAB was involved in the process from site selection through to the present, raising questions about fairness in the bidding process.
Mayor Torres emphasized that while affordable housing is a critical issue, the process for this particular project appeared flawed and potentially unethical. She stressed that these concerns were not an argument against affordable housing itself, but rather about the integrity of the approval process.
“Every single person on this board, and that includes me, we do understand there’s a crisis with affordable housing,” Mayor Torres stated. “That’s not what’s under fire here. It’s whether or not the process for this RFP was ethical, unethical, or even worse.”
The revelations have added to existing community divisions over the project. Many residents had previously expressed concerns about the speed and transparency of the development process, often contrasting it with the pace of other village priorities.
This situation is particularly sensitive given the history of affordable housing issues in Westchester County. For years, predominantly white communities in the county have been under scrutiny for their lack of affordable housing options, leading to accusations of exclusionary practices and even legal challenges. The current controversy in this village highlights the ongoing struggle to balance the need for affordable housing with concerns about proper procedures and community input.
As the controversy unfolds, Mayor Torres promised to share more information as it becomes available. The situation highlights the challenges faced by local governments in addressing housing affordability while maintaining public trust and following proper procedures.
The village board will likely face increased scrutiny and calls for transparency as they navigate this contentious issue in the coming weeks and months. Mayor Torres’s outspoken stance on this matter suggests a potential shift in the village’s approach to the Hunter Tier lot development and possibly future affordable housing projects. It also underscores the broader challenges Westchester County communities face in addressing longstanding affordable housing deficits while ensuring fair and transparent development processes.
