Affluent Suburb Agrees to Affordable Housing Overhaul

Westchester County, NY, has faced increasing racial isolation due to increasing housing prices- so much so that a family of four making $90,000 could still qualify for "affordable" housing in the county. The New York Times is now reporting that the County, in a deal with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will be required to provide more affordable housing in certain areas of the county that lack minorities.

This mandate is the result of a suit filed by The Anti-Discrimination Center in federal court. The suit alleged that Westchester County misrepresented its efforts to engage in affordable housing programs. A federal judge found that Westchester's efforts to provide affordable housing programs in areas that have severe under-representation of minorities were weak.

In a deal brokered with the federal government, the county will be spending millions to create, and actively market, affordable housing in certain communities where minority populations are scarce.