The Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit: Novel Strategies for Novel Times April 26, 2018

Transcription

1 The Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit: Novel Strategies for Novel Times April 26, 2018 SUMMIT DESCRIPTION Last year Congress passed the most sweeping overhaul of the federal tax code since 1986, and the proposed federal budget substantially decreases funding for affordable housing while Hudson Valley home prices continue to rise. In this new and complicated environment, the Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit will provide an overview of the current state of affairs and present strategies for increasing affordable housing in a variety of contexts. AGENDA 8:00-8:30 Breakfast & Networking 8:30-8:45 Welcome & Introduction Tiffany Zezula, Deputy Director, Land Use Law Center Jason Labate, Attorney, Goldstein Hall 8:45-9:15 Keynote Address Westchester County Executive George Latimer 9:15-9:45 Session 1: Tax Reform and Budget Updates: Impact on Affordable Housing The tax reform legislation Congress passed this past year and the budget priorities under the federal and state administrations have profound effects on real estate and affordable housing development. This session will give a quick update on the current tax regime, the federal and state budgets, and how each is expected to affect affordable housing. Mary Amato, CPA, Partner, CohnReznick LLP Jolie A. Milstein, President & CEO, New York State Association for Affordable Housing 9:45 10:15 Session 2: The Builders Remedy to the Affordable Housing Problem. Is It Enough? The panelists will discuss the Constitutional obligation of municipalities to provide affordable housing and how that obligation is enforced. Courts in both New York and New Jersey have created the builder s remedy to reward developers who bring successful exclusionary zoning lawsuits. They will discuss the critical importance of having reliable housing needs data and allocations of fair share obligations to individual communities, the difficulty of getting credible data, and, whether, in its absence, the builder s remedy is effective. If not, what options to court ordered affordable housing exist? John R. Nolon, Founder & Counsel, Land Use Law Center, Distinguished Professor, Pace Law Thomas J. Trautner, Jr., Esq., Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi and ULI Northern New Jersey Housing Chair

2 10:15 11:15 Session 3: Mayors Talk Housing City leaders are increasingly expected to make sure that there is enough affordable housing for all residents. At the same time, however, mayors are also charged with retaining local businesses, revitalizing retail districts, and attracting new industries that generate both high paying jobs and stable tax revenue. Join mayors from Peekskill, Beacon and Ossining for a fast moving and intimate conversation about the hard choices and competing priorities they routinely face in crafting affordable housing policy while concurrently advancing an ambitious economic development agenda. Randy Casale, Mayor, City of Beacon Victoria Gearity, Mayor, Village of Ossining André Rainey, Mayor, City of Peekskill Moderator: Kevin Dwarka, Kevin Dwarka LLC, Land Use & Economic Consulting 11:15 12:15 Session 4: Proven Techniques in Affordable Housing Expanding affordable housing opportunities requires different approaches, tools, and players. Hear how inclusionary zoning in a medium sized city has fostered mixed income developments, how Community Development Financial Institutions finance the atypical affordable housing ventures, and how a local affordable housing committee brought changes in land use and affordable housing to a small village. Luiz Aragon, Commissioner of Development, City of New Rochelle Kimberlie A. Jacobs, Executive Director, Community Capital New York Arthur Riolo, Chair, Hastings-On-Hudson Affordable Housing Committee Moderator: Rose Noonan, Executive Director, Housing Action Council 12:15-12:45 Summit Wrap-Up / Networking

3 SUMMIT SPONSORS GOLD SPONSORS SILVER SPONSORS IN COLLABORATION WITH

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5 The Hudson Valley Affordable Housing Summit: Novel Strategies for Novel Times SPEAKER BIOS MARY AMATO Mary Amato, CPA, is tax partner for the Firm s Commercial Real Estate Industry Practice as well as a tax partner in the Firm s Construction Industry Practice. She has over 30 years of experience dealing with all types and phases of tax matters for middle-market entrepreneurs, and closely held and public corporations. Mary serves as the tax partner in charge of the Firm s White Plains Office s tax department. In her role as business advisor, Mary has helped clients analyze the proper structures for business expansion and business succession. She has identified many opportunities for tax savings and has successfully represented her clients before taxing authorities. She has experience with companies operating in multiple states and often with international activities. Mary s clients include companies in the construction industry and real estate developers and operators. Mary s clients have presented opportunities to work closely with matters such as these: Representation on audit by New York State Department of Taxation and Finance under the Brownfield Cleanup Program, claiming credit of approximately $160,000,000. Establishing benefits under the New York State Empire Zone program for credits such as the tentative tax reduction credit, the employee wage credit and the credit for real property taxes as well as sales tax exemptions. Representation before the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance regarding Sales and Use Tax implications under various local jurisdictions Industrial Development Agency s agreements. Communications with the Internal Revenue Service granting extension of the replacement period for property subject to the provisions of Internal Revenue Service section 1033, as it relates to involuntary conversions and condemnations. Representation before the Internal Revenue Service upon audit for establishing material participation of a real estate professional in various activities and the grouping of significant participation activities. Consultations for investors in specific activities regarding the classification as an investor availed of capital gain treatment as opposed to a developer or dealer in property subject to ordinary income tax rates. Consultations regarding abandoned projects and or partnership interests. Working closely with attorneys on the restructuring of debt and the related tax consequences or benefits. Working closely with attorneys and family members to address transfer of wealth to multiple generations and to equalize bequests for those members continuing in the business and those outside of the business. Consultations and analysis of UPREIT transactions for legacy partners of the underlying properties. Mary is certified in public accounting in the state of New York. Education Iona College - Bachelor of Business Administration, Financial Accounting Pace University Master of Science, Taxation Professional Associations American Institute of Certified Public Accountants New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants

6 LUIZ ARAGON Luiz Aragon brings to the City of New Rochelle over two decades of governmental experience in New York City and upstate New York; and the momentum necessary to prepare our City for the next phase in our history. His broad expertise includes community development, economic development and revitalization, housing, planning, transportation, and environmental management. Under his leadership, New Rochelle has been able to reposition itself as a leading transit oriented development (TOD) destination in the tristate area. In partnership with the City Council, Mr. Aragon has rezoned approximately 300 acres of the City s downtown to accommodate over 10 million square feet of development. His accomplishments also include catalytic chances regarding our City s branding and technology initiatives. Preceding his appointment as Commissioner for Development for the City of New Rochelle, Mr. Aragon served as Commissioner for Planning and Environmental Management for Sullivan County, NY and Deputy Commissioner for Preservation Services for NYC s Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD). As Planning Commissioner in Sullivan County, Mr. Aragon led the Economic Development Corporation, which acted as the catalyst for economic revitalization in the County. His extensive portfolio included the revitalization of main streets throughout the County, the advancement and repositioning of the Concord Hotel and Casino development, and a variety of additional creative and new job-generating investment opportunities. Furthermore, Mr. Aragon was the County representative in Governor Cuomo s Regional Economic Development Council and played a key role in the Mid-Hudson Region Sustainability Consortium. During his tenure with HPD, Mr. Aragon was responsible for half of HPD s workforce and his contributions ranged from a variety of innovative management and technological tools designed to enhance performance and maximize productivity to budget, legislative, and political matters. His responsibilities included the enforcement of the Housing Maintenance code citywide while implementing innovative community and economic revitalization initiatives across New York City. Mr. Aragon was responsible for HPD s neighborhood preservation efforts citywide in order to assist developers, owners, and tenants in preserving housing conditions and neighborhoods. Those efforts were augmented by the extensive work led by Mr. Aragon regarding the control and abatement of housing related narcotics activities, Housing Litigation initiatives, and the creation and management of the largest municipal housing education program in the country. Earlier in his career at HPD, Mr. Aragon was also responsible for the day-to-day management of the entire HPD-owned housing stock. Prior to HPD, Mr. Aragon served at New York City s Department of Transportation as Assistant Commissioner for Capital Projects and as Assistant Commissioner for Planning and Urban Mobility. Mr. Aragon began his civil service career in New York City government as an architect and planner at the Department of Parks and Recreation and subsequently held positions of increased responsibility in that agency, including Director of the Audit and re-engineering unit and Director of the Disciplinary unit. Mr. Aragon earned an MBA from Baruch College, CUNY and a BA in Architecture from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. He is a resident of downtown New Rochelle. RANDY CASALE In January 2012, Randy Casale took office for his first term as Mayor of the City of Beacon. Mayor Casale is a lifelong resident of the City of Beacon and is proud to be a part of the Beacon community. His aspirations to work for the City and serve its diverse constituency were instrumental in him choosing the pathway to becoming Mayor. After graduating from Beacon High School, he attended Marist College. He began working for the City of Beacon Highway Department in After 10 years, he became the Highway Superintendent, a position he held until his retirement in For nearly 20 years, Mayor Casale was the Junior Varsity Basketball Coach for Beacon High School and led the team to many victories. He also served his community as a member of the City Council for the Third Ward from 2008 to Mayor Casale is in his second term.

7 KEVIN DWARKA Dr. Kevin Dwarka is a land use and economic consultant specializing in urban revitalization. Broadly trained in both land use law and urban economics, Kevin helps localities throughout the metropolitan New York Area unlock the economic value of their train stations, enhance the fiscal performance of their main streets, build vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods, finance sustainable infrastructure and implement affordable housing policies. Kevin s practice offers clients an unusually comprehensive scope of consulting services including market analysis, neighborhood planning, zoning revisions, real estate financial modelling, infrastructure financing, fiscal impact analysis, and environmental impact assessment. Kevin currently teaches land use law at NYU s Schack Institute of Real Estate. He has also taught urban economic development at the City University of New York and Israeli Politics at Yeshiva University. His dissertation at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, examined the use of global capital and public private partnerships for financing light rail projects in Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Kevin is admitted to practice before the New York State Bar and serves on the New York City Bar Association s Housing and Urban Development Committee. He also serves as a Senior Fellow at Pace Land Use Law Center and on the board of the New York chapter of the Congress for New Urbanism. Prior to launching his own consultancy in 2007, he held senior positions at the MTA, Nelson Nygaard Consulting Associates, and the Israel Union for Environmental Defense. He received his BA from Columbia University, JD from Pace Law School, MCP from UC Berkeley, and PhD from Hebrew University. VICTORIA GEARITY Finding innovative, effective solutions for the ongoing challenge of ensuring safe, affordable housing, is a top priority for Mayor Gearity and the Ossining Village Board. In 2017, the Village undertook a Housing Needs Assessment which resulted in a strategic policy framework. The Village Board is moving forward with several of the policy recommendations which range from strengthening code enforcement to updating the comprehensive plan. A key focus right now is to create the most progressive affordable housing policy in Westchester, while establishing economic strategies that will further the investment and development currently underway in Ossining. Since taking office in 2015, Mayor Gearity has transformed the way Village government communicates with residents: expanding broadcast and online coverage of public meetings; initiating weekly Open Office Hours; ing a Monday Mayor s Message that updates residents on Village business and happenings; and she recently completed her series of Weekly Walks where residents joined her on a journey to walk all 44 miles of Village roadways. Beyond her work for the Village, Victoria is mother to two young sons in the Ossining Schools, and wife to a local business owner. KIMBERLIE JACOBS Kim Jacobs is the Executive Director of Community Capital New York, a not for profit organization that provides Community Development Finance throughout the Hudson Valley, a position she has held for 29 years. Under her leadership, Community Capital provides flexible, innovative financing to developers of affordable housing and to not for profit agencies. In addition, Community Capital provides loans to start up and emerging small businesses and provides over 5000 hours annually of business training, technical assistance and mentoring. Prior to her work in Westchester Ms. Jacobs held positions in Economic Development in Rochester, NY, Marin County, CA and Sioux Falls, SD. She has an MS in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Iowa and an MBA in Finance from Pace University. In 2000 she was selected as a Fannie Mae Fellow, Program for State and Local Executives, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Ms. Jacobs is a resident of Ossining where she previously served on the Town Board.

8 GEORGE LATIMER George Latimer, a third generation Westchester native was born Nov. 22, 1953 in Mt. Vernon to the late Stanley and Loretta (Miner) Latimer. After attending Mt. Vernon public schools, George graduated with a B.A. from Fordham University in the Bronx as well as a Master s Degree in Public Administration from New York University s Wagner School. Since completing his education, George by profession is a marketing executive, who has gained first hand business and economic experience over 20 years at major corporate subsidiaries of Nestle, and ITT, with on-site responsibilities for projects with AT&T, IBM and Shearson Lehman. During that time, Latimer had direct involvement with project development in numerous sites nationwide. A resident of the City of Rye for nearly 30 years, George successfully ran for the Rye City Council, spending the next four years combining his business experiences with his background in public service, eventually leading him onto the Westchester County Board of Legislators, while simultaneously keeping a steady portfolio with Benchmark Management. During the 13 years that George was a member of that chamber, he served as the Minority Leader and then as the first Democratic Chairman of the Board of Legislators in Westchester history. From 1998 to 2001, while George was the Chairman of the County Board of Legislators, property taxes decreased in three consecutive years by nearly seven percent. Additionally, Latimer oversaw the passage of groundbreaking legislation such as the creation of the Human Rights Commission, Smoke Free Workplace Laws, and the Waste Haulers Laws. George was regarded as bipartisan and transparent during his tenure, appointing Republicans to chair committees, facilitating a fair redistricting plan that involved members of the chamber s minority party and outside good government groups and establishing the first cable TV coverage of Board of Legislators meetings. Elected in 2004 to the State Assembly, George Latimer has established a solid record of accomplishment, sponsoring legislation and advancing funding for environmental issues (including protection of the Long Island Sound), housing, transportation, healthcare, lower property taxes and a myriad of other issues. In the Assembly, he is the author of over 20 new laws in topics as diverse as establishing provisions to allow Freedom of Information requests (FOIL) to be requested and responded by , launching a program to increase organ donations, and preventing radio piracy. He has received public recognition and awards from numerous Westchester and Hudson Valley organizations for his work in these areas, and has been cited with awards from the Sarah Neuman Center, the Washingtonville Housing Alliance, Congregation Anshe Sholom in New Rochelle, the Port Chester/Rye Brook Chamber of Commerce, the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce, LMC-TV, Council of Community Services in Port Chester-Rye Town, Helping Hands and the NY State Association of School Psychologists. George Latimer s sound business experience, his record of public service and his dedication to the county community have been the driving force behind his effort for the last 25 years in both the public and private sector. In public office as a city councilman, county legislator and assemblyman, George has always fought for what his Westchester residents and neighbors need. He is routinely cited as the most open and accessible of representatives. Latimer was elected to the State Senate, representing the 37th District in November of The 37th district is comprised of Bedford, Bronxville, Eastchester, Harrison, Larchmont, Mamaroneck, New Rochelle, Port Chester, Rye, Rye Brook, Tuckahoe, White Plains and Yonkers. JOLIE A. MILSTEIN Jolie has been working to ensure that every New Yorker has a safe and quality place to call home throughout her entire career. As President & CEO of NYSAFAH, she has helped the affordable housing industry succeed across New York State by advocating for the policies and practices that make more affordable housing possible. This commitment was on display before Jolie joined NSYAFAH, as she was the in-house developer for Praxis Housing s supportive housing developments. Jolie brings a background in economic development, business management, and finance to the fight for more affordable housing, as she has previously served as Executive Director of the Ulster County Development Corporation, Senior Director for Economic Development at the New York City Partnership, Business Manager for Paperhouse Productions, and Commercial and Residential Mortgage Investment Banker at First Boston Corporation. A licensed architect, Jolie holds a BA in Architecture from UC Berkeley, a Master of Architecture from UCLA and a Master of Public and Private Management from Yale University.

9 JOHN NOLON John R. Nolon is Distinguished Professor of Law at Pace Law School where he teaches property, land use, and sustainable development law courses and is the Founder of and Counsel to the Law School's Land Use Law Center. He served as an Adjunct Professor at the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies for 15 years beginning in 2001, where he developed a curriculum concentration of five land use law and policy courses. Professor Nolon served as the James D. Hopkins Professor from and the Charles A. Frueauff Research Professor of Law during the , , , and academic years. He received the Richard L. Ottinger Faculty Achievement Award in 1999, won the Goettel Prize for faculty scholarship in 2006, and was designated Outstanding Professor of the year in Professor Nolon received his J.D. degree from the University of Michigan Law School where he was a member of the Barrister's Academic Honor Society. He has served as a consultant to President Carter's Council on Development Choices for the 1980's, President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development, New York Governor George Pataki's Transition Team, and Governor Elliot Spitzer s Transition Team. He is a member of the Editorial Board of THE LAND USE AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAW REVIEW, published by Thomson-West. He is also on the New York Planning Federation's Advisory Council. Professor Nolon received a Fulbright Scholarship to study sustainable development law in Argentina in and has published over a dozen articles, chapters, and books on that subject. He has received national awards for his work with municipal land use leaders from the American Planning Association and the International City Management Association. ROSEMARIE NOONAN Ms. Noonan is the Executive Director of Housing Action Council. She began her housing career as Director of the National Leased Housing Association, the leading trade association for government assisted rental housing development and management in Washington, DC. She attended Trinity College in Washington, DC, received an advanced degree in Government from Georgetown University, and is a graduate of Pace University School of Law. She has advised State and local housing officials on designing and implementing affordable housing programs and plans. She managed the Yonkers Affordable Housing Office which was responsible for implementing a housing desegregation order. She has designed housing seminars and trained professionals nationwide. She is experienced in integrating the housing development process with health and human service programs. She has fostered the creation of several Westchester not-for-profit organizations including The Preservation Company and Washingtonville Housing Alliance. The goal of these organizations is the development of housing which serves low income families and individuals of modest means. She has advised many civic groups, religious groups, and community organizations on appropriate roles for themselves in housing development and assisted them through the development process. She has managed the relocation of residents of several public housing developments as their housing has been re-developed. She affirmatively markets many of the affordable housing developments in Westchester County. Her services are primarily focused in the Hudson Region; however, she has provided this service throughout New York State and in many areas throughout the country. She has a strong working knowledge of Federal, State, County and local housing programs and is skilled in integrating them to develop financially feasible and affordable housing developments.

10 ANDRÉ RAINEY Mayor André "Noodle" Rainey, of the city of Peekskill, is a dedicated Father to his son Zylon, and a Peekskill native who s also lived in Germany and Las Vegas, Nevada, while his father served in the Air Force. André understands and respects military service, the contributions of a church community and strong public schools. André graduated from Peekskill High School in 2002 and is a millennial, entrepreneur, owner and President of Noo Moves Entertainment, founded in He brings an understanding of arts and small business as an economic generator in the new economy. He believes in developing strong relationships with public schools, businesses, as well as county, state and federal agencies. As a skilled collaborator and community builder, he knows the importance of collaboration and the power of partnerships in building a vital community with opportunity for all, especially youth, teens and young adults. André works tirelessly in efforts to open doors of opportunity for the children and millennia s as well as create connection and well deserved respect, to the elders and seniors. As an innovator of original programs and music, and educator of those most in need of new directions, with successful community fundraising and organizing skills, he brings new ideas for partnering with other municipalities and organizations. André will continue bringing fresh perspectives to entrepreneurship, innovation, community engagement, collaboration and partnership. By understanding the desired role of government in the lives of the millennial generation "Noodle", over all, is a man with many talents, that doesn t hesitate to show and share. Whether through music, politics, or just walking down the street, he carries himself gracefully with love, respect, and determination for creating a better world, starting with the City of Peekskill. ARTHUR RIOLO Mr. Riolo is a lifelong resident of Hastings-On-Hudson and co-owner/broker of Peter J. Riolo Real Estate. THOMAS TRAUTNER Thomas J. Trautner Jr. is an experienced real estate development lawyer, with a diverse practice serving as counselor, strategic architect and (when the situation calls) litigator. He excels in helping clients navigate the entitlements process through his breath of knowledge regarding often Byzantine subjects, among which include redevelopment, eminent domain and affordable housing. First trained by savages as a young commercial litigator, Tom s practice often focused on affordable housing and eminent domain evolving from his experience as a law clerk to the Honorable Eugene D. Serpentelli, A.J.S.C., one of the State s original Mount Laurel Judges and a maven in the world of land use and real estate litigation. Ultimately, his practice evolved to include virtually all facets of the entitlements and redevelopment process. As a result of his diverse experience counseling developers, municipalities and trade organizations, Tom has developed a deep understanding of affordable housing issues in New Jersey (having looked at virtually every issue from one side or another). As a young associate, he co-authored an amicus curiae brief on behalf of the New Jersey chapter of the National Association of Industrial Office Properties in the appellate division case that overturned the Council on Affordable Housing s Third Round Rules. In recent years, Tom has been at the forefront of helping his clients navigate the uncertainty of the affordable housing landscape before New Jersey Courts while also being intimately involved in the preparation of briefs and arguments to the New Jersey Supreme Court on evolving issues.