The availability of adequate housing at affordable
prices in Westchester County, including the Town of Cortlandt, is
of increasing concern to residents and county and municipal officials,
as evidenced in the widespread public debate and discussion of these
issues and the County Executive’s Housing Implementation Plan.
An aging population, smaller families and changing family composition
have contributed to an increase in demand for housing. Increased construction
costs, increased operating and maintenance costs, more stringent financing
and more regulation have had a negative impact on the production of
additional housing. A general scarcity of housing and steep rental
increases have resulted. In view of the existing disparity between
the demand and supply of rental housing and the potential for an even
greater disparity, it is desirable and necessary to establish a Tenant-Landlord
Advisory Board to gather facts, analyze and make recommendations to
the Town Board with respect to tenant-landlord relations and to mediate
and fact-find with respect to any agreements or memorandums of understanding
between the Town Board and any tenant, tenants’ group, landlord
or landlords’ group to the extent that any such agreement or
memorandum of understanding authorizes the Tenant-Landlord Advisory
Board to do so.
The Town Board of the Town of Cortlandt hereby
creates a board which shall be known as the “Cortlandt Tenant-Landlord
Advisory Board.”
The powers and duties of the Cortlandt Tenant-Landlord
Advisory Board shall be:
A. To gather facts, analyze and make recommendations
to the Town Board with respect to housing policy in an effort to maintain
good tenant-landlord relations in the Town of Cortlandt.
B. To mediate and fact-find with respect to any written
complaints filed with the Department of Technical Services pursuant
to any memorandum of understanding effective, signed by the Supervisor
of the Town of Cortlandt as authorized by Town Board resolution and
the owners of any apartment complex within the Town.
C. To mediate and fact-find with respect to any written
complaints filed with the Department of Technical Services Improvement
pursuant to any amendments to the above memorandum of understanding
or any other memorandum of understanding or agreement between the
Town Board and any tenant, tenants’ group, landlord or landlords’
group to the extent that any such memorandum of understanding or agreement
authorizes the Tenant-Landlord Advisory Board to do so.
D. To carry out such other duties as may be assigned
from time to time by the Town Board.
E. Approximately 90 days prior to any expiration date
of this chapter, to recommend to the Town Board whether or not the
effective period of this chapter should be extended.
This chapter shall take effect immediately as
prescribed by law and shall be in effect for a period of five years.
At the end of the said five-year period, the Town Board may extend
the effective time period by local law after proper notice and public
hearing as prescribed by law.