THE WESTCHESTER BRIEF
Monday, June 9, 2026
A 9-member board will decide rent increases for tens of thousands of Westchester households in 13 days. Most residents have no idea it exists.
On June 22, the Westchester County Rent Guidelines Board holds its annual vote — setting the allowable rent increases for all rent-stabilized apartments in the county for leases beginning October 1, 2026.
Last year, the board approved 2% for one-year leases and 3% for two-year leases. The Building and Realty Institute, the primary landlord group in Westchester, argued those numbers fell short of actual cost increases for building operations. Going into this year's vote, both sides are further apart.
Why it matters: Rent-stabilized units are Westchester's workforce housing — the apartments available to home health aides, school bus drivers, and restaurant workers. People who earn too much for income-restricted housing but cannot absorb open-market rents that now regularly exceed $3,000 for a two-bedroom in southern Westchester. Whatever the board decides on June 22 takes effect this October.
The board has 9 members: 3 representing tenant interests, 3 representing landlord interests, and 3 designated as public representatives. The public representatives determine the outcome of every vote. All 9 are appointed by the County Executive. That appointment structure — not the vote itself — is where the real leverage sits.
Listen to the full story on The Westchester Brief, available on all podcast platforms.
QUICK HITS
Westchester summer season opens strong. Playland Park is open Wednesday through Sunday through Labor Day, with the Dragon Coaster back in operation. Westchester Magazine's Wine and Food Festival runs June 9–14 across multiple venues, including a Playland boardwalk evening and a Grand Tasting Village on June 13. Westchester Pride returns to White Plains on June 7 with a march, live entertainment, and vendors throughout the city.
Affordable condo lottery now open in White Plains. 108 affordable condominium units across two downtown sites — 6 Cottage Place and 99 Church Street — are now in a homeownership lottery targeting households at or below 100% of area median income. First occupancy is targeted for July 2026. Applications are open through the White Plains Housing Authority.
Westchester Crossing infrastructure phase underway. The $65 million infrastructure phase for Westchester Crossing in Port Chester — a 957-unit development on the former United Hospital site — is active, with construction supported by up to $10 million from the Mid-Hudson Momentum Fund. Completion is targeted for 2027.
ONE MORE THING
Have you or anyone you know ever applied for an affordable housing lottery in Westchester? How many applications do you think a typical lottery receives for 108 units? Reply and let me know — I want to include the real numbers in a future episode.
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