THE WORLD READS WHITE PLAINS CITIZENETREPORTER — 8,324,077 VISITS IN ONE YEAR | 2,905,611 VISITORS VISIT 8,324,077 TIMES 3 TIMES EVERY DAY IN ONE YEAR. HIGHEST ACTIVITY IN WPCNR HISTORY.White PlainsCitizeNetReporter lifted its worldwide visits from unique visitors to wpcnr.com to 8,324,077,a 1,306,419 increase in visits in one year from 7,017,658 visits to the site last year which covers White Plains and Westchester County. The 8,324,077 visits were made by 2,005,611 unique visitors who visited wpcnr an average of 3 visits a day. ON JULY 20- -2026 visitors have accessed wpcnr and made 3,072 visits an average of 1.6 visits. In the last week 33,495 individual vistors made 54,458 visits, averaging 1.6 visits. In the last month, 152,940 visitors recorded 229,338 visits (1.5 visits)

14 Speak Out on the 2010-11 Budget. No One Likes It.

Posted on May 3, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR COMMON COUNCIL CHRONICLE-EXAMINER. May 3, 2010 UPDATED 11:45 P.M.E.D.T.: The Common Council heard 14 persons speak on the 2010-11 City Budget Monday eveningmeet this evening. Four persons spoke in favor of reopening the White Plains Public Library on Saturdays. Marjorie Davies of the League of Women Voters speaking on behalf of the league, urged the city to mitigate the tax increase, support countywide revaluation of real estate properties, and renegotiate union contracts with the police, fire, teamsters and CSEA unions to avoid layoffs and lower wage increases.

The Presidents of the Police and Fire unions urged the council not to jeopardize citizens and police officers and fire fighters by lowering department strengths. Joseph Carrier, President of the Firefighters said the council was putting White Plains citizens at risk if they lowered firefighter staffing as has been proposed: “The council has a responsibility to weigh and differentiate between the citizens’ safety needs and the need for budget cuts…Let me state on the record, (these layoffs) have the potential to kill.”_) James Carrier, head of the police union, said he’d be meeting with the city Tuesday morning with a police offer to the Mayor and his staff. The police union head noted how the 12-hour work schedule had cut overtime in half, and cautioned that layoffs would increase the need for overtime, and put his fellow police officers at risk.

Former Councilman Glen Hockley chided Tom Roach, Benjamin Boykin, Dennis Power and Milagros Lecouna and Mayor Adam Bradley for not supporting the 1/4% sales tax increase three years and two years previously, blaming them for the present budget “crisis.”

Rosemarie Hicks, noted that White Plains single family homeowners, if property taxes are not held down, will face continued lowering real estate values and higher taxes making White Plains less competitive. Nick Wolf, the realtor,encouraged passing the tax increase since it amount to about $1 a day for the average homeowner.

Councilmembers Roach and Boykin, stood up to one speaker and defended themselves from attacks on them for approving previous Delfino Administration budgets the last 9 years, claiming they cut Mayor Jospeh Delfino’s budget this year.

Carl Albanese, challenged the Common Council to remediate the city’s Gedney landfill and to be forthcoming on how much that was eventually going to cost the city. He also urged that when times got better in the city that tax reduction in the city property tax be considered, Lyn Huber, noted that the high cost of benefits for each city employee which he placed as $34,000 was “ridiculous,” urging all city employees be subject to paying a portion of their health benefits.

At the meeting tonight, the Council approved $285,092 in certiorari refunds, $48,528 refunded to Verizon for tax years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, plus an assessment reduction of $215,000 for Verizon, and a $166,229,06 refund to 11 Lake Street Associates for tax years 2003 through 2010, and an assessment reduction of $180,800. The total assessment roll reduction which had already been deducted from the 2010 tax roll from the 10 properties receiving certiorari refunds this evening is $285,272.59.

The eight other properties are Harding Avenue Associates, $12,575, assessment reduction ($5,614.24 cert refund); Gisondi Family LP,291 Central Avenue, $2,462.67 cert; Gisondi Family LP, 287 Central Avenue, $8,150 assessment reduction, $3,638.65 refund; Gisondi Family LP, 285 Central Avenue, $24,250 assessment reduction, $10,826.66 cert refund; Gisondi Family LP,295 Battle Avenue,$24,000 assessment reduction, $10,431.18 cert refund; Harding Avenue Associates LLC, 30 Dekalb Avenue, $2,600 assessment reduction,$1,160.80 cert refund; Tiffany Towers,Ltd., 56 Doyer Avenue, $38,500 assessment reduction,$22,539.15 cert refund,and 451 Broadway Realty, 172 South Broadway, $22,000 assessment reduction, $13,661.48 certiorari refund.

In the next two weeks, the Council will hold their final sessions on the budget as follows:

COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
REVISED
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 10, 2010
6:00 P.M.

DISCUSSION:

5. Proposed Tax Budget 2010 – 2011 – Expenditure Overview – Department of Planning and Slater Center, and recommendations of Budget and Management Advisory Committee.

COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 13, 2010
6:00 P.M.

DISCUSSION:

6. Proposed Tax Budget 2010 – 2011 – Decision Night.

COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 24, 2010
7:30 P.M.

DISCUSSION:

7. Proposed Tax Budget 2010 – 2011 – Adoption.

COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
REVISED
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 10, 2010
6:00 P.M.

DISCUSSION:

5. Proposed Tax Budget 2010 – 2011 – Expenditure Overview – Department of Planning and Slater Center, and recommendations of Budget and Management Advisory Committee.

COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 13, 2010
6:00 P.M.

DISCUSSION:

6. Proposed Tax Budget 2010 – 2011 – Decision Night.

COMMON COUNCIL AGENDA
SPECIAL MEETING
MAY 24, 2010
7:30 P.M.

DISCUSSION:

7. Proposed Tax Budget 2010 – 2011 – Adoption.

Hot Police/Fire, Rec & Parks/ Library Budget Reviews Rebroadcast Sunday at 11 P.

Posted on May 1, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR PUBLIC ACCESS TELEVISION NEWS. May 1, 2010: The previous Monday April 26th 2010 Mayor Adam Bradley Proposed Budget Hearings where the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Recreation and Parks and The Library appeared before the Common Council will be rebroadcast on White Plains Cable Access Channel 76 and FIOS Channel 45 Sunday Night at 11PM prior to the Monday May 3, 2010 City Council Public hearing on the Proposed City Budget.

The meeting is instructive for citizens who wish to hear Commissioner of Public Safety David Chong’s analysis of the Police and Fire retirement situation, the heavy presense of thousands of youths milling about the downtown from 1 to 5 A.M. Friday, Saturday and Sundays, the profitable status of the Department of Recreation and Parks, and the Library case for opening Saturdays. Set your video taping machines for 11 P.M. Sunday evening.

The hearing is three hours long of the April 26th 2010 Budget Hearing

Continuing dates to follow and other Budget Hearings to be aired through out the remaining budget process in the up coming weeks.

The tape is produced by:Renaissance Media Group, with video taping by Carl Albanese at no charge to the cable station.

Why News 12 Cameras Kept Out of Dem Meeting: Dem Chair– A Misunderstanding

Posted on May 1, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. May1, 2010: WPCNR has obtained an explanation circulated by the Chair of the Democratic City Committee for reasons why the News 12 and private video operators were not allowed inside the Democratic City Committee meeting Thursday evening when the party District Leadeers considered a resolution asking Mayor Adam Bradley to resign.

Liz Schollenberger, the Democratic Chairperson explains the YWCA told News 12 cameras were not allowed inside the building because children were present, neglecting to tell News 12 they were only banned until the Democratic City Committee arrived.

Here is Ms. Schollenberger’s official explanation:

Thanks to everyone who attended Thursday’s City Committee meeting and to all your collective efforts to keep the meeting organized and civil, despite the fact that there were widely diverging opinions being expressed. I will see many of you at the dinner tomorrow.

You may have seen Channel 12 report that the White Plains Democratic City Committee excluded its reporter from our meeting at the YWCA on Thursday night. In fact, as many of you know, since I have been City Chair, I have never excluded the press from any meeting of the City Committee. Some people suggested in advance that I do so at the March City Committee meeting, where there was bound to be a discussion of how we should respond to the charges facing Mayor Bradley. I did not do that, and that discussion played out in the presence of a reporter from the Journal News, which, as you know, resulted in a fairly lengthy news article describing the range of opinions expressed at that meeting.

Our bylaws specify that our meetings are open to all enrolled Democrats in the City of White Plains. Since we are legally a private organization, we could exclude those other than White Plains Democrats from our meetings. However, given the elective nature of our positions as District Leaders and the fact that our activities and our very purpose are focused on public-policy issues and the electoral process, I have taken the view that it is best not to exclude reporters from City Committee meetings.

What happened with Channel 12 on Thursday night was the result of a three-way miscommunication. When I arrived at the Y somewhat in advance of our 7:30 meeting, a Channel 12 van was in the front parking lot. Soon after I entered the building, the executive director of the Y told me that she was not allowing the cameramen in because she did not want them filming in areas with children. Before the meeting started, I told various members of the City Committee about that conversation. Accordingly, when a camera crew later tried to enter the room, those closest to the door, including Council Member Dennis Power, told them they could not come in. Dennis was just acting on what I had said.

Channel 12 has reported that, at some point, police arrived at the scene, and told them that the City Committee, as a private organization, had the right to exclude them if it wanted to. That’s legally correct, but neither I nor anyone acting at my request, called the police. The first I knew of any police presence or involvement Thursday night was when I got home and saw the report on our meeting on Channel 12. I still don’t know if the police were called by the someone at the Y to keep Channel 12 out, by Channel 12 to help them get in, or by some individual member of the City Committee.

When I spoke to the executive director again on Friday morning, because I was surprised by the Channel 12 report, she said that I had misunderstood her, that she had meant to convey to me only that she had kept the camera crew out until we arrived, at which point it was up to us to decide whether to allow them into the meeting. I have no reason to doubt her explanation of what she meant (especially since the Channel 12 reporter who was there on Thursday night told me on Friday that she has filmed stories at the Y previously), but what I understood her to say Thursday night was that the Y – which, after all, is our “landlord” when we meet there – had a policy prohibiting TV cameras inside the building. I passed that understanding along to others, who acted on it when the camera crew tried to come in.

Even if that misunderstanding had not occurred, the question of whether to allow TV cameras –as opposed to reporters – into the City Committee meeting would have been a different one from the question of whether the meeting should be open to members of the public, or to the press, as their surrogates – which I have always resolved in favor of openness, including on Thursday night, when Journal News reporter Ben Rubin was, again, present throughout and, again, wrote a fairly lengthy account of the meeting. I would certainly not have treated a reporter from Channel 12 any differently from a reporter for the Journal News.

TV cameras are, however, obviously more intrusive and potentially disruptive than a reporter sitting in the room and taking notes, so one may have a policy of being open to the press (including TV reporters), but not allowing TV cameras into the room. New York State’s courts, for example, allow the general public and the press full access to most court proceedings, but do not allow TV coverage of court proceedings. Many public bodies provide for the presence of a fixed camera in the room during their meetings, but do not allow camera crews to move around freely. That is an issue that neither I nor the City Committee had ever faced, at least in the ten and a half years I have been a member of the City Committee, because, until Thursday night (when I understood the Y to have barred the TV cameras), no meeting of ours was ever thought newsworthy enough to draw TV coverage.

Finally, Channel 12 newspeople have suggested, in on-air discussion of our meeting Thursday night, that the meeting was subject to the Open Meetings Law because all members of the Common Council were present. This is not an accurate interpretation of the Open meetings Law. The Council Members, including the Mayor, were seven people out of more than 60 in attendance, and they were sitting or standing at different places around the room. There was no obviously no transaction of Common Council business going on “in secret,” particularly with a Journal News reporter in the room. Moreover, even bodies subject to the Open Meetings Law are not required to allow camera crews and their cameras in to film their meetings.

Democrats ,2 to 1, Give Bradley Vote of Confidence–Pending Resolution of Case

Posted on April 30, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR BACKROOM BULLETIN. APRIL 30,2010: Democratic City Leaders (some by proxy) overwhelmingly voted by a 2 to 1 margin to defeat a resolution calling for Mayor Adam Bradley to step down from his position last night at their City Committee meeting held at the YWCA. By a vote of 35-18 the resolution asking the Mayor to resign went down.

An observer said Mayor Adam Bradley addressed the meeting, and described his talk as one where “He recited all his accomplishments so far; and restated his hope to protect his daughters (from the media, etc.).”

A second resolution expected to be offered by John Kirkpatrick to the effect of not taking a position pending outcome of the Mayor’s domestic abuse case was not offered.

Mayor Bradley returns to New York State Supreme Court on May 10 for his next appearance in the court proceeding in which he faces 9 separate charges stemming from separate incidents of alleged spousal abuse, including witness tampering.

An observer speaking under condition of anonymity who was inside the meeting tells WPCNR that the Democratic City Committee barred some media and allowed other media to enter the lounge where it was held, to wit,

“The Democratic Committee has set a new media precedent for the Press to attend their District Leader Committee meetings.

Specific Press, selective by Council Member Dennis Power is allowed to cover their Committee District Leader meetings and report on them.

JN Ben Rubin, was permitted to attend and report on the meeting, other press was prohibited from entering the meeting.

We need to discuss this unfair, biased media practice.”

Mayor to Be Fair in Settlements. Unions Collaborative.Phone/Personal Talks Go On

Posted on April 29, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR CITY HALL CIRCUIT. By John F. Bailey. April 29, 2010: Mayor Adam Bradley today contacted WPCNR today and criticized media reports “rehashing” recent budget and labor disputes of the past as being unproductive, untimely, and disruptive to current sensitive union negotiations, saying “I made a commitment to look forward, not backwards and go forward…discussions of the past produces no benefit, and are inappropriate. The publishing of today’s article in The Journal News hinders the ability for all of us (city and unions) to be looking forward.”

He said all union presidents, police, fire, teamsters and civil service have been collaborative, professional and understanding in the discussions he has had with them. Asked if he has dropped his proposals for extensive layoffs in police and fire, Mr. Bradley said he would not negotiate in the press and said “My hope is that we can find a way to maintain our level of professionalism.”

He praised the professionalism and high level of standards of the workers in all four city unions, (and non-union personnel) and said he had utmost respect for them.

Asked when the next meeting with the unions would be, John Callahan, City Chief of Staff said talks on the telephone, and personal meetings had been going on at various times with union leaders and the union lawyers.

WPCNR asked the Mayor if he had backed off his May 2 deadline for the unions to get back to him on layoff and benefit cut possibilities and combinations as have been revealed to WPCNR by union sources. The Mayor would not confirm or deny the deadline, saying he would not negotiate in the press. Asked if he planned a settlement before the May 27 deadline for passing the budgtet, the Mayor said he hoped so.

Asked if he was not looking backward, would the Mayor drop the city legal effort to have the12-hour shift for police patrolmen overturned because it was not approved by the Common Council, the Mayor said he would not. “That’s a different issue, not part of the aribitration award.”

Asked if whatever labor decisions are made would treat all labor unions the same, Bradley said his goal was to be fair to all union workers involved.

EXTEND PARKING TIME BY CELLPHONE DEBUTS

Posted on April 29, 2010 by John Bailey

WPNCR THE PARKING NEWS. From Antoinette Biordi, Communications Director, City of White Plains. April 29,2010:The City of White Plains launched its new “Pay by Cell” program today. City Officials gave a demonstration on how it works at the Waller Maple Parking lot. For a nominal service charge of 50 cents, parkers with cellphones, parked in select city garages and lots (Waller, Lyon Place, Chester Maple Garage, Hamilton Avenue Garage and Trans Center Garage) May extend parking time using their cellphone. White Plains is the only city in New York State and one of a handful of cities across the nation that offers this unique program.

City officials gave a demonstration on how it works at the Waller Maple Parking lot this morning. White Plains is the only city in New York State and one of a handful of cities across the nation that offers this unique program

The “Pay by Cell” iniative will give people who prefer to pay for parking by using a cell phone instead of waiting in line at the digital multi-space meters. “This allows people who are in a hurry to pay for parking right on their cell phones,” says White Plains Parking Commissioner Albert Moroni.

Here’s how it works.

1. Users can either register online at www.paybyphone.com or call 1-888-450-PARK (7275).

2.When people call the number, they follow the prompts and pay for the parking.

3.The company will provide you with a text message 10 minutes before your time is up.

4. At that point, you can extend the time by using your phone to avoid a ticket.

Parking attendants will be able to check the multi space meters and recognize your mobile payment.

Mayor Adam Bradley says, “This new iniative will make parking more friendly and convenient for people visiting and doing business in White Plains.” Pay by Cell will be offered at:

Waller Maple Lot,

Lyon Place Lot,

Chester Maple Garage,

Hamilton Main Garage,

Trans Center Garage.

Eventually Pay by Cell will extend to the Galleria Garages and all other parking locations in the city by the end of the year.

FEINER: COUNTY SHOULD SURVEY LABOR COSTS OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

Posted on April 29, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE FEINER REPORT. By Paul Feiner, Greenburgh Town Supervisor. April 29,2010: Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner, a former President of the Westchester-Putnam Town Supervisors Association is writing to County Executive Rob Astorino and to all the Mayors/Supervisors in Westchester suggesting that the county help local governments run more efficient and less expensive govenments by conducting an annual study comparing salaries, benefits, union contracts, use of overtime of every town, school & fire district in the county.

Feiner said that the lack of a county analysis & comparison makes it difficult for elected officials to know if they are providing the taxpayers with the maximum value for the tax dollar. It would be helpful if we had a comprehensive analysis/comparison of pay, summaries of all negotiated (or arbitration imposed) contracts and if every official could compare how much it costs to run their government with other governments of similar populations.

Feiner said that his suggestion would provide taxpayers valuable information that could help citizens determine if their governments are efficiently run. It would motivate elected officials to work harder to save taxpayer dollars since their costs would be compared annually with neighboring jurisdictions.

A COPY OF THE LETTER FEINER IS SENDING THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, SUPERVISORS, MAYORS, BOARD OF LEGISLATORS FOLLOWS…

In recent months county officials have approached local governments asking how they can help us run a more efficient government. I have a suggestion:

The county should commence an annual county-wide study comparing:

*Salaries and benefits of Commissioners, managers in every municipality, fire district and school district in the county;

*Union contracts (PBA, Teamsters, CSEA) in each community –negotiated wages (freezes, increases)

*Use of overtime and number of employees each locality hires (population analysis). Municipal, school, fire district comparisons of equivalent services based on population.

This study should be prepared annually and will help local and county officials determine whether they are giving taxpayers good value for their dollar. I also believe that this could also help local governments evaluate whether they are negotiating good contracts –because we will have data from other localities.

The taxpayers will also benefit because they will have a better understanding of how their tax dollars are being spent.

The county should seek grants for this undertaking. If grants are not available the long term benefits could outweigh any costs. I am convinced that this suggestion will result in significant savings of taxpayer dollars.

Sincerely,

PAUL FEINER

Greenburgh Town Supervisor

Feiner: Legislators Could Give Cty Exec Right to Have Appointees Pay Health Care

Posted on April 27, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR NEWS & COMMENT. By Paul Feiner, Supervisor, Town of Greenburgh. April 27, 2010: I have been reading your articles and commentaries about County Executive Rob Astorino’s battle with the County Legislature over the proposal to require county employees to contribute to health care costs.

This fight hasn’t saved taxpayers a dime since Commissioners, deputy commissioners, patronage appointees and employees are not contributing to health care costs. While the blame game continues, all employees are able to continue to work without contributing into their health care costs.

I have an interim compromise suggestion. The County Board of Legislators should authorize County Executive Astorino to immediately require (if he wishes) all political appointees under his jurisdiction (commissioners, deputy commissioners, patronage appointees) to contribute towards their health care.

Once top management and the political appointees of the County Executive start contributing,it will be easier for the administration to get a more comprehensive bill approved that will impact other county employees and elected officials. My suggestion would result in immediate taxpayer savings and would show leadership by example.

There is no valid reason why the Board of Legislators should deny the County Executive the right to require appointees under his control to contribute towards their health care costs while negotiations for a more comprehensive bill continues.

Our Man in Havana

Posted on April 27, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR ROVING REPORTER. HAVANA, CUBA 2010. By Charles Lederman. May 1, 2010: Panama hat in hand, White Plains’ Charles Lederman visited the Cuban capitol this month and files this report on the storied capitol today, exclusively to WPCNR:

HAVANA, CUBA– A sprawling metropolis, among the largest of the Caribbean’s historical capitols with over 2 million residents, and rich in its history as colonial trading center and epicenter of civil strife and revolution.

My family and I just returned from a visit to Cuba (there is one flight a week from JFK International for those with State Department license). We enjoyed a rare opportunity for Americans living at the top of the 1^st world, to observe life at the bottom of the third world.

What was most shocking to us was the change in both the physical condition of the city structure/infrastructure and in the society since our visit several years ago. During President Bush’s second term, executive orders made it impossible for many with legitimate purpose to visit Cuba. In response, the Cubans outlawed the American Dollar, and gave preferential treatment to Euros and its own monopoly money. President Obama has managed to reverse some of Bush’s orders (whereby we were able to visit), but has really only returned the regulations to a place they had been for years before Bush’s second term.

Havana was New York’s sister city in shipping and trade for almost 300 years. Much wealth has centered on this fortified city of colonnaded boulevards and cobbled back streets. While an influx of European investment has allowed a half dozen streets and hotels to be cleaned up and actually painted (a newly available commodity there),buildings and streets everywhere else are literally crumbling on top of people.

The desperation is apparent in every direction you look. The scantily clad jinateras (jockeys) his at passing tourists to ask for dates (even with kids in tow). The families are packed three generations to a floor of each four or five story walkup. Mysterious pipes spew effluent into the back alleys, while children play stickball around sink holes, collapsed walls, and 8 foot deep holes into a 200-year old sewer system.

Entertainment for foreigners is relatively inexpensive, as the regime is hard up for any hard currency it can get from outside. Food and beverage and cigars are very inexpensive in comparison to our Metro area. A nice meal for four including drinks and desserts was had for less than $100 at the finest rooftop dining room in town, upstairs from our room that had housed the likes of Al Capone, Santo Trafficante, and Josephine Baker.The biggest draws are spots where famous Americans of the past got drunk on Daquiris, Mojitos and Pina Coladas.

The only catch is that Cubans are not allowed to go where the foreigners are welcomed. The Cuban people cannot buy or sell red meat without risking a 20 year jail term, while the foreigners eat platter-sized Argentinean steaks. The Cuban people get a bag of beans and a bag of rice every other week, $8 a day wages, a loaf of bread (if they’re willing to wait on line at 9 P.M.), after the baker happened upon a sack of wheat that week.

It is interesting to note, however that the one place this socialist/communist dictatorship has actually succeeded is in providing health care. We were surprised to learn of so many foreigners coming to seek treatment that the Cuban government will begin charging visitors for health/life insurance during their stay.

The Cubans pay basically nothing for a system that provides comprehensive health care despite an obvious lack of physical resources. There is a doctor every couple of blocks for those in the city, who has one floor as an office and one (floor) to live in. Eyeglasses that take special order and cost hundreds of dollars here can be had the same day for less than $2 in Havana. Cardiologists from around the world visit and train in Havana.

If you don’t get your mammogram or colonoscopy or annual physical, a nurse comes to your door every week until you give in.

The seminal moment of our visit, however happened to be the last moment of our visit. Yankees (Americans) alone flyfrom an old decrepit hangar and runway, while others use a beautiful, modern airport next door. While we were waiting on line to board our flight home (delayed six hours), Cuban who were flying on the same plane began to crowd to the head of the line.

Well, I’m from New York, not Havana, and I’m not one to get pushed around and just go with the flow. So when I (and my wife) told the natives to act civilized, they were shocked that anyone should even raise their voice in such a tense atmosphere.

It was apparent that they all just wanted to keep their heads down and get on the plane out of there…too bad the diplomats on board didn’t see it, as they had already been hustled aboard ahead of the wheelchairs and the children and the crowd of frightened sheep.

Home Prices elevate In West/ Thks to High End Sales-Activity Circa 95-96

Posted on April 26, 2010 by John Bailey

WPCNR THE HOUSING NEWS. From Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service.(EDITED) April 26, 2010: As reported last week by WPCNR, activity in the high end luxury housing market is up subatantially, so much so that it has raised sales levels and prices considerably according to the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service. However overall real estate activity in residential remains at 1995-96 levels.

Real estate firms participating in the Westchester-Putnam Multiple Listing Service reported 1,313 closings of Westchester residential property transactions in the first three months of 2010, an increase of 54% from the same period a year ago. Putnam County closed transactions were up by 28%. The closings largely reflected marketing and contract activity that took place during the late autumn and closing months of 2009.

Although the year to year percentage increases in sales were high in all categories of housing tracked by the MLS, it must be noted that they were calculated against the very poor sales base of the opening months of 2009.

At that time total sales were less than half those of the peaks posted in 2006 and 2007.

The 2010 (January, February, March) volume was closer to that posted at the start of 2008 when the real estate recession first took hold in our area.

Seasonally adjusted¹, Westchester’s 2010 first quarter sales were equivalent to an annual sales rate of 6,830 units; that approximate annual volume was last experienced in 1995 and 1996.

The area’s real estate market experienced its second consecutive quarterly increase in sales volume on a year-to-year basis since 2008.

Westchester’s single family house sector fared best with 756 first quarter closings as compared to 426 in 2009 and 726 in 2008. Putnam County single family house sales bounced up to 124 versus 88 in 2009.

Westchester’s condominium and cooperative sectors posted 37% and 27% year-to-year increases, respectively. Even the ailing multi- family house sector posted a 34% year-to-year gain.

Prices rise on Sale of High End Homes– 18% of Total.

The first quarter median sale price² of a Westchester single-family house was $599,500, an increase of $67,500 or 13% from last year. Again, however, the comparison is to the exceptionally low prices posted in the first quarter of 2009 — $532,000 in the instance of Westchester houses.

The increase in prices was due not to across-the-board price appreciation but to emerging recovery in the high-end market.

Westchester houses selling for $1 million or more accounted for 18% of sales in the first quarter of 2010 compared to a low of 13% in the first quarter of 2009. That share of market was 25% or higher in 2008 and earlier.

Condos/Coops Idle,Moving

The median sale price of a Westchester condominium was $365,750, an increase of $13,750 or 4% from last year. The $170,000 median sale price of a cooperative unit, however, was less by 5% or $9,500.

INVENTORY UP

The (overall) inventory of 6,568 Westchester housing units for sale at the close of the quarter was 4% more than last year at this date and 11% more than in 2008. Inventory can increase due to a fall-off of sales activity, or, as was the case for the most recent quarter, to the decisions of potential sellers to re-enter the market as they perceive market conditions to be improving.

A Look Ahead — Tax Credit Impact? YES!

The first-time homebuyer credit program, its extension, and its expansion to include repeat buyers in certain circumstances, contributed to the rebound in the real estate market here and elsewhere. Exactly how much is hard to say.

A 2009 survey³ by the National Association of Realtors included an oversample of New York buyers and sellers. It showed that 46% of respondent New York buyers and 47% of U.S. buyers were first-time buyers, about five to seven percentage points higher than in prior years.

It showed the overwhelming majority of buyers were fully aware of the tax credit programs. When asked whether the tax credit was a factor in the timing of their recent home purchase, 34% of first-time buyers said yes, it was. Even if these results are off by half, there’s no doubt that the program contributed to the surge of transactions at the close of 2009 that is continuing into 2010.

Mortgage Interest Rates factor

Another favorable condition carried forward from 2009 was that mortgage interest rates remained stable at low levels. The autumn 2009 environment that drove the 2010 first quarter transactions featured average rates in the range of 5.2 to 5.4% on conventional 30-year loans. There was a surge to about 5.6% in mid December of 2009 but rates have since subsided.

However, there are few confident forecasts for 2010 considering that there are so many uncontrollable and sometimes paradoxical influences.

For example, a too-strong recovery in overall economic conditions could actually drive mortgage interest rates to higher levels, thereby applying a brake to the real estate component of recovery. New regulation and legislation for the financial sector could also have a major impact.

For the time being, however, rates are stable during the all-important spring selling season and are continuing to drive higher sales volumes.

Unemployment a Drag on Home Sales

Another major concern for this area’s real estate market is that the unemployment dial has been stuck on high at 7% or better since the start of 2009. Not only does an environment of high unemployment discourage potential buyers from entering the housing market, those who are in fact unemployed homeowners for an extended period of time are at risk of losing their properties to foreclosure.

(Jim Benerofe, the White Plains Week Commentator, pointed out the unemployment factor as a hold-back of real estate resurgence on the White Plains Week program which will be repeated tonight on Channels 76 and 45 in White Plains, and may be seen on the internet at www.whiteplainsweek.com.)

Foreclosure filings decline by 28%

Fortunately, the foreclosure data available from the County Clerk’s records suggest that filings peaked at a little more than 300 monthly during the last quarter of 2009, and have retreated by some 28% to about 220 per month since then, most of which are resolved through short sales. Actual foreclosure judgments are running at about 45 monthly. It appears that the volume of foreclosure and short sale transactions has been insufficient to undermine the real estate market as a whole.

(Editor’s Note: WPCNR has asked the Multiple Listing Service for a record of foreclosure homes purchased as percentage of the quarter’s sales. We await that data.)

One last positive indicator for real estate worth mentioning is that the stock market has rebounded, the Dow Jones Industrial Average having crossed the psychologically important 10,000 threshold last autumn, and the 11,000 threshold just recently, thus contributing to a renewed sense of confidence about the economy that supports a home buying mentality.

Our local real estate market has been in a vigorous recovery mode for the past six months, and for the time being at least, will continue in that mode for as long as the external environment stays constant or improves.

¹ The seasonally adjusted rate is an annualized rate for a given quarter. It represents what the total sales volume would be for the whole year based on the quarter’s customary share of total annual sales.

²The median sale price is the mid-point of all reported sales, i.e., half of the sales were for more than the median price and half were for less. The median is not affected by unusually low or high sale prices. The mean sale price is the arithmetic average, i.e., the sum of all sales prices divided by the number of sales. The mean does reflect the influence of sales at unusually low or high prices.

³2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit Questions, New York. Prepared by National Association of REALTORS Research Division, January 2010