Mamaroneck task force presents roadmap of ADUs, inclusionary zoning and flood‑resilient strategies to preserve affordability

The Mamaroneck Affordable Housing Task Force presented a residents‑built roadmap this evening that outlines a suite of options to preserve affordability for renters and homeowners while prioritizing flood resilience.

Andreine Smith, chair of the Affordable Housing Task Force, opened the presentation saying the group was delivering "a local road map built by and for residents of the village of Mamaroneck" and offering a toolkit for the Board of Trustees to consider. The task force stressed it was presenting options, not formal recommendations, and invited public comment after the presentation.

Why it matters: Task‑force presenters tied housing affordability directly to flood risk and state funding: "To keep access to these funds, Mamaroneck must show commitment to responsible housing growth," Andy Potash told the meeting, noting a state pro‑housing program that the village has applied to and a general 1% annual growth metric cited in that context. Presenters warned that restricting development without addressing resilience could jeopardize eligibility for infrastructure and mitigation grants and shift costs onto local homeowners.

What the task force proposed: The group laid out several pragmatic, locally grounded approaches it said could be implemented in short, mid and long‑term phases.

- Legalize and regulate accessory dwelling units (ADUs): Presenters urged permitting reform and an amnesty pathway for existing unpermitted basement and accessory units so those homes can be brought up to code. As Daniella Bierman summarized the data, "Nearly half of renters in Mamaroneck are cost burdened," and the task force recommended low‑cost ways — including ADUs — to add housing supply without new land.

- Inclusionary zoning and developer incentives: Michelle Goodman recommended increasing inclusionary requirements from the current 10% to 15% of units in new developments, coupled with incentives such as density bonuses, fee waivers and design flexibility to offset added costs for developers.

- Use of public land and targeted development: The task force recommended dedicating select municipal parcels in low‑flood areas for affordable housing and issuing targeted RFPs. "Public land for public benefit," Goodman said, could yield affordable townhomes, senior housing or small apartments designed for local needs.

- Community land trust and homebuyer assistance: Jeannie Chung advocated for a community land trust (CLT) to preserve permanently affordable ownership and proposed a first‑time buyer assistance program funded through a community housing fund or partnerships; she estimated such programs could help "50 to 75 families per year".

- Funding tools and grants: The group recommended aggressively pursuing state, county and federal mitigation and housing grants and described a potential local housing fund seeded by developer fees, grants, transfer taxes, gifts or annual appropriations. Smith noted transfer‑fee models elsewhere as an example and said such tools may require state approval or a referendum.

Questions and public concerns: During Q&A, residents raised practical concerns about affordability guarantees for ADUs, the effectiveness of moratoria, flood‑prone units being legalized, and skepticism about relying on developers. Task‑force members and staff responded with clarifications: affordability covenants are generally attached to grant‑funded units but privately financed ADUs would remain market‑priced unless the owner agreed otherwise; moratoria, they said, are triggered only when specific draft zoning language is issued and are intended to allow careful drafting and public input rather than a blanket halt to permits.

Flood resilience as a precondition: Multiple speakers — task‑force members, trustees and residents — emphasized that building affordable housing without addressing chronic flooding risks would not produce safe, long‑term housing. Staff said the village is coordinating flood mitigation planning with the Army Corps and pursuing grant matches, but noted funding and match requirements remain to be resolved.

Next steps: The task force said it has submitted materials to the state for pro‑housing community designation and provided the Board of Trustees with the report and an implementation timeline available online. The report’s authors urged residents to review the document and ask the trustees to pursue the options they prefer.

The presentation closed with public comment and thanks to task‑force members and student contributors; no formal actions or votes were taken at the meeting. The Board of Trustees has received the task force report and will determine whether to pursue the proposals, seek additional study, or adopt implementing ordinances.