Municipal Housing Authority is using Section 8 Vouchers to Expand and Preserve Affordable Housing
YONKERS, NY (June 18, 2020) – Low income residents will be able to stay in their affordable housing units thanks to a new partnership between The Municipal Housing Authority for the City of Yonkers (MHACY) and Westhab.
MHACY is working to help residents in affordable buildings run by Westhab by awarding the organization Section 8 housing vouchers that will help subsidize rents for low income residents in their buildings. MHACY administers the vouchers provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development which help subsidize rental units in market rate buildings for income-qualifying tenants.
“The goal is to preserve affordable housing for people who may be at risk of losing their homes because their incomes are too low to afford housing in our area,’’ said Wilson Kimball, President and CEO of MHACY. “Our partnership with Westhab makes sense on so many levels: It helps support low-income residents as well as a non-profit organization that does such valuable work in our community.”
“We are so appreciative of this opportunity. The vouchers will greatly benefit our tenants and preserve and improve Westhab’s quality, affordable housing in Yonkers for the long-term.”
Westhab will received 124 Section 8 vouchers to help residents pay rent at XX properties in Yonkers including those on Knowles Street, Livingston Avenue, Waverly Street, Elm Street, Lawrence Street and Bruce Avenue.
Westhab, founded in 1981 to address the affordable housing crisis in Westchester, develops affordable and supportive housing, operates homeless shelters, and provides youth programs and employment services in Westchester and New York City.
Andrew Germansky, Senior Vice President of Real Estate for Westhab, said that many residents currently living in their buildings are not now receiving subsidies so the vouchers will provide badly needed support. He said the additional source of income would have the added benefit of allowing Westhab to make improvements to the buildings benefitting the organization as well as the tenants.
The partnership with Westhab is part of a larger effort by MHACY and Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano to expand affordable housing opportunities in the city.
This summer Spano and Kimball, and MHACY Board Chairman James Landy, announced that they were seeking request for proposals from building owners who were interested in participating in the Section 8 Housing program.
“Housing is key to the vitality of any city. In addition to all the new market rate housing that is going up, we have renovated our public housing stock and are now making more affordable housing available through the use of Section 8 vouchers in partnership with building owners,’’ said Kimball. “This three-prong approach ensures that we provide a full-spectrum of housing, and renew our commitment to provide safe, affordable housing for working families.’’
For more information on Section 8 vouchers visit MHACY’s website at www.mhacy.org