News Release from Community Housing Innovations (forum sponsored by The Journal News):
Alexander Roberts, who first reported on the fact that Westchester’s wealthiest towns had lost as much as 60% of their 25-34 year olds since the 2000 census, will be presenting at a public meeting in New Castle. Sponsored by The Journal News, columnist David Wilson will host a discussion about the Chappaqua Station affordable housing development on Hunt’s Lane that has been stalled due to community opposition and required variances.
Roberts, who is the executive director of the nonprofit Community Housing Innovations, will talk about the historic opposition to affordable housing in Westchester, and how the lack of workforce housing inhibits economic growth in New Castle, contributing to higher taxes.
Wilson has been highly critical of the town, which originally chose the Chappaqua Station site and invited the developer to build on it, and then opposed the project after an election changed the town board.
Bill Spade, a prominent Chappaqua architect and member of Chappaqua for Responsible Affordable Housing, will argue at the event that the Chappaqua Station site is inappropriate for residential use and would stigmatize those who live there.
The HUD Monitor in the Westchester discrimination Consent Decree recently said the county was in violation of the court order because it failed to take legal steps to insure that Chappaqua Station is developed.
Residents are invited to attend the free event.
While many of the details regarding the homes are kept under lock and key until the day of the tour, a few “teasers” have been revealed. For example, one home was nearly destroyed in a town-wide disaster in 1904 but managed to avoid complete devastation while another home “explores geometry through architecture” and will surely leave you feeling inspired. The homes–varied in their decorative tastes, architectural styles, and histories – will provide visitors with a fun-filled day of curiosity and exploration.
These activities included a Build-A-Village “Design Challenge”, sponsored by Arch-for-Kids, in which children created their own villages out of recycled cardboard boxes and other craft materials. Event participants also had the option of constructing edible architecture by connecting marshmallows and toothpicks.
A common theme for the day, in conjunction with the central subject of architecture, was that of home — “a small, one-syllable word that has infinite connotations,” to quote guest speaker Pam Hart — and specifically, the idea of “What makes a house a home?”
Toward the end of the afternoon, Arch-for-Kids hosted a treehouse-making workshop for those guests aged six and under, while the adults took part in a discussion about what makes a home, arranged to generate interest in the aforementioned Oral History project. The discussion was led by local poet Pam Hart, historian and Chair of Bedford Planning Board Dierdre Courtney-Batson, and acclaimed writer Akiko Busch.
Steve and Ken Schainman, longtime Chappaqua residents (with Ken being a Greeley grad), had the opportunity to meet Hillary Clinton, the keynote speaker at an annual March conference of Camp Directors called the Tri-State Conference, held in Atlantic City. Secretary Clinton talked about camp being “the essential building blocks for young people over so many years,” and of her own participation, growing up, attending “only” day camps and in the Girl Scouts. But then she also laughingly recalled Chelsea’s stated wish, at the ripe old age of five, to go to sleepaway camp. 