Community Temp? Housing Still Hot, Social Needs Not

by Harold Wolfson

(January 17, 2007) How are things going in Mamaroneck/Larchmont?

According to experts, real estate and commerce are booming, but social agencies and the needy are not.

This is the contrasting picture speakers presented at the Local Summit’s third annual “Taking The Temperature Of The Community Program” held at the Nautilus Diner on January 16th.

Cary Sleeper (at right), a veteran real estate broker with Sotheby’s, said that last year real estate sales in the Mamaroneck School District amounted to $349,044,940, compared to $292,400,620 a year earlier. This buoyancy was in sharp contrast to lower prospects presented at the Local Summit this time a year ago.

“Larchmont is a small, solid community and this is what buyers are looking for,” Mr. Sleeper said. By contrast, he added, “back country Greenwich, Ct. which has had large double digit price increases year after year now is languishing in over-inventory. Our average price growth locally of between 8% to 10% a year is still continuing.”

Average Home Price $1,360,000

He brought gasps of surprise when he said the average price of homes in the Mamaroneck School District last year was $l,360,000 vs. $1,100,000 in 2005.

Further good economic news was reported by Al Tocman, president of the Mamaroneck Chamber of Commerce. “Business is vibrant,” he said, “and there is a lot of change which is good.” He said new businesses are coming in and some of the older ones are changing hands. He said that despite the growth of malls in Westchester, people continue to “want to shop locally where they can see neighbors and where they have a relationship.”

He praised the Mamaroneck Village government for helping local businesses. “You can’t find a safer, more comfortable place to shop.” The one fly in the ointment, he said, was parking, which continues to be scarce.

Agencies Forced To Do More With Less

Dave Currie (at left), the senior director for resource development at the Larchmont-Mamaroneck United Way, said not-for-profit groups currently have to “do more with less.” He noted there has been a continued “shift from government support for social services to not-for-profits.”

He said that few agencies have been able to meet this challenge. By way of illustrating a general dearth of funding, he told of one local agency with restricted funds which had been looking for an early development teacher for many months. “Recently they hired someone for $24,000 a year. Think about trying to live in this community on that.”

He said, “Relatively speaking, this community has better access to funds than other communities: if our agencies are struggling, imagine what is happening in less affluent communities.”

Judy Dobrof, executive director of the Cancer Support Team, confirmed a comment by another audience member that some elderly and low-income individuals were suffering from the closing of United Hospital in Port Chester, even though the new Open Door medical center in Port Chester has picked up some of the slack.

Emergency Rooms Overwhelmed

“The elderly medicated population is suffering from the hospital closing,” said audience member Barbara Henkind, a professional public health nurse and president of the Larchmont Schools Foundation. She said that the emergency rooms at hospitals in New Rochelle and White Plains were “overwhelmed with underserved elderly and others.”

Additional speakers at the Summit meeting noted challenges in housing, funding and “community connectedness”:

• Shirley Romney, director of Mamaroneck Community Services, said that “affordable housing is still a challenge” and even though winter has been warm, her agency was helping a number of people “living on the edge in Mamaroneck” pay for heating. She added that overall there has been an increase in families who need help this year. She complimented the Westchester Jewish Center for its help with immigrants. She also mentioned the activity and fair run by the Westchester Accueil, proceeds of which went to Ms. Romney’s department to fund good works.

• Beverly Brewer-Villa (at right), executive director of the C.A.P. Center, said her agency had many ongoing programs but was “spread thin” and funding and lack of qualified staff was a problem.

• Janet Bookbinder, president of R.A.D.A.R., the youth alcohol and drug group, said the community was suffering from an “eroding of connectedness” and a shift from individuals serving the community to “development of self.” She said a study of local students indicated they were not connected to the community and that they suffered from negative messages from media ---sex, alcoholism and violence. She said teens frequently look at community activity in which they are involved as mostly “resume padding” for their college applications. She said there was a great need to provide after-school and especially weekend activities for older children. She urged the development of a formalized teen advisory council for the tri-municipality and also said that parents need an opportunity to network and strengthen their parenting skills.

• Anna Danoy, executive director of Mamaroneck Town community services, said the waiting list for Section 8 Rental Assistance is open. Seniors on fixed income who need rental assistance are eligible. Local residents are given preference. She also said her office has funds for one-time emergency assistance.

• Mariana Boneo, executive director of the Hispanic Resource Center, also stressed the need for connectedness which is very important for the Latino community. She said that in the current slow season for day laborers her agency was focusing on training: law workshops, OSHA led safety measures, and English as a second language. Her agency is beginning to get the word out that it would welcome help to identify a property where day laborer activity and the agency’s social and educational work could be housed together to foster greater interconnectedness among staff and clients. She also talked about the need for agencies in the community to coordinate and work together, sharing resources.

New Program at the Middle School

Ms. Boneo described a unique program unfolding with the Hommocks Middle School called PALMS (Post Secondary Access for Latino Middle-Grades Students.) The Resource Center and Hommocks will be among the first in the country to participate in a two-year research study which seeks to improve the life chances of Latino youth by opening doors to post-secondary education. The PALMS program provides middle school faculty with tools to promote a working relationship between Latino parents and the school and to help Latino parents support and motivate their children to pursue post-secondary education.

The Local Summit is an informal community council. Through its monthly meetings and forums it promotes continuing dialogue about local needs. Mr. Wolfson is a Summit board member.

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