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WPCNR WHITE PLAINS LAW JOURNAL. From Westchester Residential Opportunities. January 15, 2015:
Executive Director Geoffrey Anderson of Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. (WRO) announces that WRO today filed a lawsuit in federal court against the Village of Bronxville and developer Gateway Kensington LLC for illegal housing discrimination against families with children. Mr. Anderson remarked: “Housing discrimination in all forms must be challenged, so that families and people of all ages are welcome in our communities. Bronxville and its developer have deliberately set out to design and market new condominiums to deter families with children from moving into the Village.”
Bronxville has created an “age-targeted” special permit in its zoning code, which allows developers to build more units than allowed as of right if the housing is “designed to appeal primarily to individuals and couples without children,” as stated in Bronxville’s code. In 2013, Bronxville granted an “age-targeted” permit for the development of 54 condominium units on Kensington Road at a downtown site owned by the Village near the Metro-North train station. The apartments are intentionally designed with few bedrooms and with dens lacking closets and placed far from bathrooms. Moreover, the development will not offer any child-friendly amenities.
Director of Fair Housing Marlene Zarfes said the following: “Such discrimination is not only wrong but illegal. Municipalities violate fair housing laws when they develop housing for so-called empty nesters and discourage families from living in their communities. While age-restricted housing for seniors can be created legally under federal law, it must be for those either 55 or 62 and older.”