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Letter: Ridge 29 Has Too Much Development, Not Much Affordable Housing

POUND RIDGE, N.Y. -- Pound Ridge Daily Voice accepts signed letters to the editor. Send signed letters to PoundRidge@dailyvoice.com.

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The Affordable Fair Housing Dwelling Units Ordinance in Pound Ridge was written in response to the HUD issues in Westchester County. It mandates developers with projects where they are building more than 10 units that one of them must be as a fair and affordable dwelling. This is a way to get developers to build affordable dwellings throughout Pound Ridge by spreading them throughout the town.

I believe, though, that Anthony Sblendorio, developer of Ridge 29, is pushing to get a maximum number of fair market units on the 29-acre parcel in order to achieve the five affordable units they are promising the town. The fair market units are luxury units that definitely will not help our Housing Board’s request for reasonably priced units for our seniors to downsize to or for our local work force to purchase, and in some cases, the offering price of these 38 units may be equal to or greater than some of the single-family homes in Pound Ridge.

Is it sensible to overdevelop the 29-acre parcel with 38 luxury fair market units only to yield five affordable housing units, when we could just buildfive5 affordable homes on a suitable parcel? If the town is looking to promote affordable housing, they should be careful about considering overdeveloping land just to eek out a few affordable units.

It is in the best interest of all residents to attend Planning Board meetings to voice their opinions about this project.

Eli Boyajian

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