Yonkers is currently going through the mandatory redistricting that is required after each census. And the process has been contentious to say the least. The west side of Yonkers has grown in population while the east side has either not kept up or has actually lost population.
At present the residents of the east side seem content to not have all the disruptions in traffic and quality of life the present and future development will bring to be out of site and out of mind. The problem will arise in eight years when the Census is once again done and the impending shock the East side will have. During the 2020 Census the largest increase in population in any one district was about 2,600 people between the 2010 and 2020 census.
What is about to happen with the development on the West Side is that those districts (1, 2, & 3) are about to gain between 15 to 20 thousand residents by the next census. Thus making the squabbles over who wants to be in what district pointless.
Demographics tell us that the average household in Yonkers is 3 people. At present there are 5,645 apartments planned or in progress on the West side and only one project on Yonkers Ave in distinct 4 that is about 220 units. But nothing else has been proposed or passed through Zoning or Planning in the City of Yonkers.
Hopefully those who choose ignore the warning and in 10 years find that the dramatic rezoning that will take place can accept the fact that they allowed it to happen because of lack of interest.
The next major question for the City, County and State is the question of infrastructure. Do we have what it takes to supply power and water in place with such dramatic growth? Can the southern district sewer plant in SW Yonkers handle the new loads that will be put on it? If not, how much will all this development cost the taxpayers? We know most of the current developers are getting tax free or extremely low taxes to build these projects so the cost for this will once again fall on the middle class and working poor.
