WPCNR MR. AND MRS. & MS. WHITE PLAINS POLL. July 7, 2008: As no less than three developers have come in in the last two weeks before the Common Council claiming they cannot pay the million dollar buyout burdens placed on them by the new 10% set-aside and buyout regulations, and it becomes apparent that the setaside rule requiring the building of 10% of new residential mult-family construction units to meetin affordable housing standards, or pay higher "buyout fees" it becomes apparent that the setaside may be a  White Plains Renaissance killer. Virtually all new projects have been put on hold in the last month, all tied to the new 10% setaside enacted by the Common Council with obvious little research as to its possible effect on the marketplace.

What do Mr. and Mrs. and Ms. White Plains think? Pick from the following possible options explained below:

1. Eliminate 10% and Buyout policy completely. A doing away with the affordable housing set aside alltogether.

2.No, keep the 10% and Buyout Amounts As Is

3.Suspend the 10% Setaside and Buyout Policy temporarily as a Market Stimulus Move. Since projects have publicly stated they cannot afford the new rates they must pay, the council could suspend the setaside as a market stimulator to get projects like Hale Avenue and Windsor Terrace moving.

4. Have City Adapt a city wide policy of subsidizing rentals and condo purchases based on income -- making all taxpayers share in the burden of housing those unable to afford market housing.

5. Eliminate affordable housing aid entirely, eliminating all programs the city participates in.

6. Create a tax that would fund affordable housing and senior housing, that would be collected on every commercial and residential owner to fund the building of affordable housing and senior housing.

7. Rollback the 10% Setaside & Buyouts to previous level as Market Stimulous.

8. Make the Setaside Rate and Buyout Rates a "Floating" Rate Based on sales and availability of homes/condominiums/apartments

9. Eliminate the Buyout Option, Requiring actual units to be built.

10. Change  BLDG. Codes to Allow Less Expensive to-Build Units.

11. Require WP Banks to Fund set Number of "Affordable" Mortgages Annually.

12. Tie Tax Rebates to Affordable Units Built Instead of to Entire Cost of Projects