Warwick, Greenwood Lake sign on to be ‘Pro-Housing Communities’

The villages of Greenwood Lake and Warwick have signed letters of intent with the state to be certified as “Pro-Housing Communities,” Governor Kathy Hochul announced August 9. Any municipality that becomes certified as a Pro-Housing Community then becomes eligible to access up to $650 million in state discretionary funding. Hochul launched the program last year in an effort to increase the housing supply and recognize municipalities that commit to housing growth.

“We are confronting New York’s housing crisis head-on by working with local leaders to grow our housing supply, build new homes and make New York more affordable for everyone,” Governor Hochul said. “More than 300 communities across the state, including rural towns, villages and major cities in every region, are unlocking housing growth to ensure families have access to quality homes – supporting residents, building our economy, and helping our communities reach their full potential.”

According to Hochul’s announcement, a “pro-housing community” has taken various step to support housing growth, such as streamlining permitting, adopting “pro-housing policies,” and submitting housing and zoning data to the state. Municipalities can apply for certification based on their successful support for housing growth in the past and/or stating a commitment to addressing slow housing growth moving forward. Certification can be achieved if a municipality can show: permits increasing their housing stock by 1% over the past year, or permits increasing their housing stock by 3% over the past three years. Communities that sign letters of intent and meet the state’s criteria then receive a certification from New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR).

The $650 million in state discretionary funding that could be open to Greenwood Lake and Warwick includes the following programs: Downtown Revitalization Initiative, administered by the Department of State; NY Forward, administered by the Department of State; Regional Council Capital Fund, administered by Empire State Development; New York Main Street, administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal; Market New York capital grants, administered by Empire State Development; Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund, administered by Empire State Development; and the Public Transportation Modernization Enhancement Program, administered by the Department of Transportation.

According to the announcement, HCR reviews program applications on a rolling basis and will provide approval or denial within 90 days of submission.

Housing data

The New York State Housing Statistics dashboard shows that in 2020 the village of Warwick had 3,049 occupied homes and 169 vacant homes, with an estimated village-wide population of 6,652 people. Of those occupied homes, 1,821 were owner-occupied, the rest were renter-occupied. The median monthly rent in the village for that same time period was $1,152.

With an estimated population of 2,994 people, Greenwood Lake had 1,286 occupied homes and 234 vacant homes in 2020, per state data. Of those occupied, 931 were owner-occupied and 355 were rented. The median monthly rent in Greenwood Lake at that time was $1,283.

For more housing statistics, visit the state’s housing dashboard at governor.ny.gov/new-york-state-housing-statistics.