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Amenia’s housing board supports first affordable unit, elects officers

Amenia’s housing board supports first affordable unit, elects officers
The town-owned parcel of land that Habitat for Humanity plans to buy a half-acre portion of in the Town of Amenia, as seen from the Harlem Valley Rail Trail parking lot on Mechanic Street. The electric vehicle charging station shown above is located on the parcel, and the town will have to divide that portion of land from the rest of the parcel before Habitat for Humanity takes ownership.
Photo by Nathan Miller

AMENIA — Citing recent Town Board action to subdivide a town-owned parcel for a Habitat for Humanity home, the Housing Board on Monday, March 23, applauded what members called a significant step toward creating the town’s first unit of affordable workforce housing.

The board also unanimously elected new officers. Juan Torres was named chairman, succeeding Charlie Miller, who remains on the board.Torres said he will recuse himself from any matters involving Silo Ridge or the Keane Stud development to comply with conflict-of-interest rules. Joshua Frankel was elected vice chairman, and Kenny Merritt was elected secretary.

The board agreed to shift its regular meeting schedule to the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. The next meeting is set for April 13.

Members highlighted recent progress by the Town Board in subdividing a parcel on Depot Hill Road, a move intended to allow Habitat for Humanity to purchase the site and construct a single-family home.

If completed, the project would mark Amenia’s first affordable housing unit, an effort several board members noted has been in development for roughly four years.

Miller said Habitat for Humanity has specific criteria for selecting a participating family, including having school-aged children enrolled in the Webutuck School District and a commitment to volunteer service.

Since February 2025, Amenia has been designated a pro-housing community, making it eligible to apply for state funding to support the development of affordable workforce housing.

Looking ahead, board members discussed the potential creation of a Housing Trust Fund and how it could be used to support initiatives such as accessory dwelling units, multi-generational housing, housing for volunteer firefighters, and rental assistance programs for tenants or landlords.

The board plans to further outline ideas for administering a housing trust fund at its April 13 meeting.

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