WPCNR MAIN STREET JOURNAL. By John F. Bailey. December 17, 2004: Chairman of the Westchester County Board of Legislators William Ryan announced the Samaritan House crisis is over Friday afternoon. Mr. Ryan told WPCNR  the women's shelter housed in Grace Church will remain open. Ryan said coming out of a meeting to advise WPCNR on the latest at 5 P.M. Friday afternoon.

BILL RYAN TO THE RESCUE: District 5 County Legislator, Bill Ryan (shown on Election Night, 2003), announced an end to the Samaritan House "To close or not to close" crisis Friday afternoon. Photo, WPCNR News Archive.

Mr. Ryan said that the agreement in principle was reached Friday, when the rent impasse was solved. He said that all budget issues had been solved as of Thursday, except for the issue of rent on which the church and the Department of Social Services disagreed.

Ryan explained that Grace Church felt it should be entitled to a large rent increase (it is paid by Samaritan House),  because of the upward trend in White Plains office space rental rates. Ryan said he asked Sal Carrera, the Director of Westchester County's Office of Economic Development to analyze the market and see if he (Carrera)  felt the raise in rent  Grace Church asked for was justified.

Friday, Mr. Carrera issued a finding that the rent increase was justified, Ryan said,

"Upon hearing that, I directed the Department of Social Services to grant them a substantial rent increase of about $26,000 or so ." Ryan did not give any more details, but assured WPCNR Samaritan House was saved.

"The residents of Samaritan House can rest easy this weekend. The official announcement will come probably sometime Monday. They will not have to move. " Ryan told WPCNR.