The Housing Crisis in Yonkers Isn't an Accident. Here's Who Has the Power to Fix It and What They're Actually Doing.

Yonkers rent prices have climbed 8% year over year according to Rent Data Now.

Rent in Yonkers has been climbing. Luxury high-rise buildings are going up while longtime residents are getting priced out. Homeownership, the foundation of the American Dream, feels further away than ever for families in District 16.

This is not a new story. And it is not happening by accident.

The Westchester County Board of Legislators has a Housing and Planning Committee. That committee reviews and shapes county policy on housing development, affordable housing requirements, zoning guidance, and land use across Westchester. The Chair of that committee has enormous influence over what kind of housing gets built, where it gets built, and who benefits.

Here's what every voter in District 16 should know: housing policy at the county level is directly connected to the affordability crisis you're experiencing. The county can push for more genuine affordable housing, set standards for developments that receive county approval or funding, and be a voice for working families against luxury-first development patterns.

It seems like every month a new luxury tower pops up in downtown Yonkers. According to their own website, the cheapest available 1-bedroom apartment at the time of this posting was $2,650 and the apartment is listed at 564 square feet. Studios to 3 BR Apartments for Rent in Yonkers | Hudson 44

What does the county have the power to do on housing?

• The Board of Legislators approves the county budget, which includes affordable housing funding and programs

• The county's Planning Department administers federal housing grants and community development block grants

• The Board sets policy on what kinds of housing developments get county support

• Legislators can advocate loudly or quietly for affordable housing requirements in major developments

  
  

I've spent over a decade helping Yonkers families buy and sell homes. I know what this market looks like from the inside. I've watched home values rise faster than wages. I've watched renters get priced out when their building goes luxury. I've watched families leave Westchester entirely because they couldn't find anything they could afford.

👉 Read more about the luxury housing problem in Yonkers: Yonkers Rent Prices Are Rising, and Luxury High Rises Are Sending a Clear Message

My housing platform:

• Fight for county affordable housing requirements by using the municipality income average, not the county average which factors in ultra-high net worth individuals.

• Push back against county policies or approvals that reward luxury-first development at the expense of working families

• Push for affordable homeownership not just rental apartments. County funds going toward any housing project should have a percentage of the units sold to neighborhood residents so they can begin to build generational wealth.

• Demand transparency on where affordable housing funding is going and who is benefiting

• Use the county's role in planning to advocate for mixed-income development in District 16

  
  

The families of District 16 don't need more luxury apartments they can't afford. They need a legislator who understands the housing market and fights for them, not for the developers who fund political campaigns.

I'm Dan D'Amico, and I'm running because the people of District 16 deserve a voice that belongs to them.

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