Residents split as Hunter Lot affordable-housing negotiations pause; HCR offers 50% local preference

Dozens of residents addressed the Village of Mamaroneck Board of Trustees during public comment on the paused Hunter Lot affordable-housing proposal, with speakers sharply divided over scale, local preference and flood remediation.

Supporters told the board the project offers tangible benefits. Jennifer Jacobs Guzman, a board member of the Washingtonville Housing Alliance, said New York State Homes and Community Renewal had agreed to “a 50% unit preference for flood impacted victims in the village,” meaning roughly 31 of the proposed 62 units would be prioritized for income-qualified local households. Guzman urged trustees to move negotiations forward and said the design met high sustainability standards.

Opponents said the village’s long-standing flood problems should come first. James Abadi, a Washington Street resident, said repeated flooding since 2007 has damaged homeowners and that continued development worsens the risk. “Every time you put buildings up, things get worse,” he said, adding residents feel ignored by prior boards.

Other commenters raised legal and procedural concerns. Daniella Bierman noted the negotiations were paused until the incoming trustees are sworn in and asked whether HCR’s local-preference language had been cleared with federal housing rules, warning that similar provisions have prompted litigation elsewhere. Barry Castrella and other residents asked how many village households in flood zones would be eligible for the local preference and whether the full 62 units were necessary.

Religious and nonprofit leaders defended the project and the organizations advocating for it. Reverend Tammy Burks described the proposal as a long-standing partnership with a mission-driven developer and said the project would provide “a beacon of hope” for families displaced by floods. Jed Meagan of the Washington Housing Alliance called past resistance to affordable projects short-sighted, noting examples from other communities where early opposition gave way to long-term success.

Why it matters: The Hunter Lot discussion links two urgent local priorities—housing affordability and flood relief—while raising questions about process, eligibility and local preference language that the village says it is reviewing. Trustees and staff said negotiations were paused to allow the incoming board to consider next steps.

What’s next: The board has paused active negotiations until new trustees are seated and indicated it will seek legal and administrative clarity about HCR preference language and fair-housing compliance before advancing contracts.