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WPCNR THE LETTER TICKER. JANUARY 14, 2024
Yonkers Anti-Roommate Bill: A Threat to
Affordable Housing and Community Stability
From Virginia Perez (The writer is a former Member of the Westchester County Board of Legislators)
The Yonkers City Council didn’t get the memo.
New York families are hurting. We can barely pay our bills. Rising costs have affected everything from the quality of food we serve our children — fresh produce is for rich people now — to home thermostat settings which seem to drop another degree or two with every passing year.
But of all our rising expenses, housing is the worst.
Ask the Governor. Ask the State Legislature. Or just look at the data. New York is suffering a massive housing crisis, so why would the Yonkers City Council do anything to make it worse?
The Council is bizarrely considering an ill-conceived “anti-roommate” bill that would devastate hardworking residents in single-family and two-family homes across the city, particularly on the west-side of Yonkers where I grew up. As written, the proposed law would presume that more than three unrelated people living in a home do not constitute a “family.” This arbitrary definition targets individuals sharing homes with friends, coworkers, or others, subjecting them to fines and even eviction at the sole discretion of the building commissioner.
This legislation is not just impractical—it’s dangerous. A similar law passed in Austin, Texas, a decade ago led to skyrocketing rents and an affordability crisis there.
Recognizing the harm caused, the Austin City Council reversed course in 2023, dismantling the restrictive policy. As Austin council member Zo Qadri aptly put it,
“At a time when the state [legislature] is doing the most to police marginalized people’s lives, and a time when rents continue to go up over $200 a month upon renewal, the city of Austin must stop policing people’s relationships they choose in order to afford housing in this city.”
Beyond the devastating impact on residents, this bill could also jeopardize Yonkers’ future funding.
The city receives grant funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Westchester County, and one of the stipulations of this funding is that Yonkers must not enact legislation that makes housing less affordable, which is exactly what this legislation would do.
By driving up housing costs and limiting shared housing options, this bill directly contradicts that requirement, potentially putting critical grant funding at risk. This action leaves the City at risk of litigation, a potential loss of millions of dollars in funding, and a consequent increase in taxes to make up any shortfall. No one wants that.
Many single, hardworking residents rely on shared housing to make ends meet.
It’s how people get by in inflationary times like these. If this law passes, the city risks creating a cascade of evictions, further reducing affordable housing options and punishing those who are simply trying to live within their means. Instead of policing personal relationships, Yonkers must prioritize policies that expand access to affordable housing and protect residents from displacement.
Everyone knows that working- and middle-class New Yorkers are feeling the pinch. “Affordability” is the new buzzword for politicians on both sides of the aisle. Whether they do or don’t, our elected leaders want us to believe they’re feeling our pain.
Except in Yonkers. Here, evidently, the message hasn’t arrived.
Please contact your local council members to express your opposition to these harmful policies, and show your support by attending the public hearing at Yonkers City Hall on Tuesday, January 28th at 6:45pm!
Yonkers City Council must reject this proposal. Housing is a fundamental need, and people should have the freedom to choose how and with whom they live. Let’s learn from Austin’s mistakes and ensure Yonkers remains a place where all residents can find—and afford—a home.
Virginia Perez was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the United States with her family as a young girl. A Yonkers resident, she attended Yonkers Public Schools and graduated from Saunders Trade and Technical High School. Virginia served as a Westchester County Legislator for the 17th District from 2012 to 2019, making her the highest-ranking Latina in Westchester County history.
