| SAVE THE DATE! White Plains: Who Are We Planning For? A Zoom Roundtable Discussion Thursday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. Register Now!As part of the League of Women Voters of White Plains mission to promote an informed and engaged electorate, we invite you to join us on Thursday April 22, 7:30 p.m. for a Zoom roundtable discussion, “White Plains: Who Are We Planning For?”. One year into the pandemic and with local elections for mayor and common council later this year, now is a good time to consider the future of city planning here in White Plains. What are the needs of White Plains going forward, how can competing needs be balanced? How has the pandemic influenced thinking about the needs of our city? What can residents do to influence the direction of development in our city? We have invited Mary Cavallero, former member of the White Plains Planning Board, David Schiff, retired city planner, and Chris Gomez, commissioner, White Plains Planning Department for a lively roundtable discussion. To register and receive a link for this Zoom program click here. We will take audience questions in advance. For further information contact [email protected] |
HOME SALES “STAGGERING” !!!!
REAL ESTATE KEEPS ON MOVING FAST AND UP
(ALL Charts courtesy, HGAR)
WPCNR REALTY REALITY. From the Hudson Gateway Association of Realtors. (Edited) April 7, 2021:
Residential home sales in the lower Hudson Valley for the first quarter of 2021 were staggering.
Sales in Westchester were up 35.3% or 2,462 units as compared to 1,819 units in 2020.
The median price in Westchester County, rose 10.8% to $708,995 from $640,000 last year.
Homes are in demand county to county, up and down the valley
Orange County experienced a 54.2% increase in sales going from 896 units in 2020 to 1,382 units in 2021 first quarter.
Putnam and Sullivan counties were each up over 62%,
Putnam with 427 sales compared to 263 in 2020 and Sullivan County with 362 units sold from 223 units in 2020.
In Rockland County sales increased 36.5% to 823 units from 603 in 2020.
Bronx County increased 31.6% at 567 units sold compared to 431 units in the first quarter of 2020.
.The median sale price for a single-family residential unit in Orange County rose 22.5% to $340,000 (from $277,450 one year ago) exceeded by an increase of 36.2% in Sullivan County to $221,00 from $162,250 one year ago.
.The median sale price for a single- family residence rose in Putnam County by 16.4% to $390,000 (from $335,000), in Rockland County by 14.4% to $525,000 (from $459,000), in Sullivan County by 36.2% to $221,000 (from $162,250) and in Bronx County to $541,000 (from $520,000) as compared to the first quarter of 2020.
The residential market is normally cyclical with seasonal low sales in the first quarter as sellers begin to prepare their homes for the traditional “spring selling season”. This did not happen. The buyers kept on buying.
Covid-19 has served to create a marketplace that defies that predictability.
While first quarter sales in 2020 last year were relatively strong, a reflection of activity that occurred in late 2019, the true effects of the pandemic were seen in the second and third quarters of 2020 when sales, not unexpectedly, took a strong hit.
During that time, however, a migration from city to suburbs began taking hold as people felt the need to escape the close confines of city living and working from home created a need for larger living spaces.
Co-op sales have been lagging in both counties for the past year but rebounded in Q1, 2021. Condominium sales were up in every county except Sullivan.
It is likely that this Co-op rebound can be attributed to the dearth of choices in other housing types as well as the fact that co-ops remain an affordable alternative, at a median sale price of $192,750 in Westchester County and $244,000 in Bronx County.
Buyers and other potential purchasers unable to afford rising single family home prices.
While the overall economy has been struggling during the pandemic, real estate isn’t.
The suburban real estate market has seen increasing sales, rising prices and increased demand.
This raises questions about the sustainability of the current market.
At what point will prices become too high, at what point will a lack of inventory (choice) discourage some buyers and while interest rates remain at historic lows, ameliorating some of the effects of rising prices, there have been recent upticks in mortgage rates which will affect affordability for some buyers.
This being said, current properties in contract remain high indicating that the market will remain strong in the near term.
WHITE PLAINS COVID CASES UP, MAYOR WARNS ON COVID CALL. NEW WESTCHESTER CASES HIT 2,824 IN ONE WEEK MONDAY TO MONDAY
WPCNR CORONAVIRUS REPORT. By John F. Bailey Statistics from NY Covid WorkBook Tracker and Westchester County Covid Tracker. April 7, 2021 UPDATED 5 PM EDT
:
Mayor Thomas Roach of White Plains warned residents that coronavirus cases and a new strain of the Covid killer virus is affecting the city. In his weekly Covid Call, Mayor Roach said:
“There are currently an estimated 347 active cases in our City, up 38 from our call last week. Over the last 7 days we are averaging 24 new cases per day.
CDC data is showing that COVID-19 cases throughout the country, including in New York, are on the rise.
Part of the reason for this trend is the highly contagious B.1.1.7 variant. This variant appears to be affecting younger people in greater numbers.
It remains critical that we all double down on the common sense safety measures that have proven effective: Continue to wear a mask when you are within 6 ft. of others and practice social distancing. Taking these precautions, along with expanded vaccine eligibility in New York, is what will ultimately get us across the finish line safely.
As of today, New Yorkers age 16 and up are eligible for the vaccine. Given that the B.1.1.7 variant seems to impact younger people at a higher rate, this expanded vaccine eligibility is Great News for all of us. I strongly urge you to make your vaccination appointment as soon as possible for whichever vaccine is available to you. All three vaccines authorized for use in the United States are safe and effective. Delaying your vaccination in an attempt to obtain a particular vaccine will expose you to risk unnecessarily.
How do I get an appointment?
- Check vaccinefinder.org for local pharmacies, clinics, and other locations that have received doses of the vaccine and schedule your appointment online or call the provider directly for an appointment. VaccineFinder was developed by Boston Children’s Hospital with support from the CDC.
- Check the State website, ny.gov/GetVaccinated for appointments at state–run vaccination sites. Check the site regularly, as new appointments become available throughout the day.
- Go to Health.Westchestergov.com, to check availability and schedule an appointment at the County-run vaccine clinic located at Westchester Community College.
- For those who need assistance securing an appointment, call our White Plains COVID Angels at (914) 422-1378 between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm.
Our next call is on Tuesday, April 13th. Until then remember, we’re standing together by staying apart.”
On the County Covid Tracker, Westchester County recorded 2,824 new covid cases through Monday April 5.
The County daily infection rate continues to be slightly below 4% (3.8) testing positive each week.
Of 73,736 tests administered in Westchester County March 30 through April 5, , 2,824 tested positive.
Looking ahead, in 10 to 15 days at a 4.3% hospitalization rate, this would put 121 persons into Westchester hospitals. Currently according to the state hospitalization tracker, 40% of Westchester County Intensive Care beds remain open and available. It is unclear whether occupancy of ICU beds is going up or staying the same. This reporter’s guess is the continued infection rate, if not keeping ICU bed occupancy steady could fill more beds in two to three weeks than the present levels.
(EDITOR’S NOTE: At 2 PM today the results of positive tests for Tuesday, April 6 showed 346 New persons testing positive for covid of 10,999 tested the lowest infection rate since Friday, 3.1%. That brings the total newly covid-infected in 8 days in Westchester County to 3,170 testing positive of 84,735 tested, an Infection Rate percentage of 3.7%
In perspective the 3,170 new infections of covid in 8 days at a 4.3% infection rate could generate 142 new covid hospitaltions in 10 to 15 days in Westchester ICUs.)
County Executive George Latimer warned WVOX audiences Tuesday , Covid infections have been going up for a month on his weekly 7:10 radio interview on the Dennis and Tonny Good Morning Westchester program. He said that the more persons are vaccinated and complete their doses will stay the spread of new cases by June.
These are the cities and villages where the most infections are, for the last two weeks. March 24 through April 5:
YONKERS: 1,276 CASES , 62 NEW DAILY
NEW ROCHELLE, 511 CASES, 25 NEW DAILY
MOUNT VERNON–439 NEW, 20 NEW DAILY
WHITE PLAINS — 347 NEW, 33 NEW DAILY
MAMARONECK TOWN, VILLAGE, LARCHMONT–221 NEW. 8 NEW DAILY
PORT CHESTER– 217 NEW, 13 NEW CASES DAILY
GREENBURGH– 208 NEW CASES, 17 NEW CASES A DAY
HARRISON — 184 CASES, 15 NEW CASES A DAY
THE OSSININGS– 155 CASES, 10 NEW A DAY
MOUNT PLEASANT –148 CASES, 8 NEW CASES A DAY
RYE CITY AND RYE BROOK– 139 NEW CASES — 10 NEW A DAY
NORTH AND NEW CASTLES– 113 CASES, 8 NEW A DAY
PEEKSKILL– 115 NEW — 6 NEW DAILY
Jones on Fully Funded Foundation for School Aid
Today, Congressman Mondaire Jones (D-NY) released the following statement on the New York State legislature’s agreement to fully fund Foundation Aid. (Editor’s Note: In his news conference today on the State Budget, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the foundation aid to school districts is funded for the next two years, providing the SALT Reduction Act is repealed by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives).
“This is a monumental moment in the fight for education equity in New York State.
After nearly a decade, New York is finally making good on its court-mandated obligation to provide full funding under the Foundation Aid formula to ensure that every child in New York State receives the sound, basic education to which they are entitled under the state constitution. Complete funding will be transformative for the Harmed Suburban Five school districts, including Ossining and Port Chester, which are in my district. It will also be a major boost to school districts like East Ramapo, North Rockland, and Peekskill, among others, which have for too long been unjustly denied the level of state funding to which they are constitutionally entitled.
To be clear, this victory was made possible by the tireless work of parents, educators, activists, and Democratic state legislators who organized for years to get the state to make good on its moral and legal obligation to our young people. Justice should never have been delayed, and thanks to their dedication, today, our students are finally getting the investment they deserve. I was proud to fight alongside this coalition as a community organizer before I ran for Congress, and I’ll continue to work in partnership with them to ensure we invest in our children.”