Gov. Kathy Hochul has an ambitious plan to build affordable housing, which includes granting the state the authority to override local zoning. However, some lawmakers have a different idea.

Her proposal has caused a rebellion among suburban lawmakers who say local control is essential to maintain when it comes to land use.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said he agrees with the governor’s goals, but thinks there is a better way to get there.

Latimer took NY1 on a tour to see some of the new housing being built across Westchester.

Hochul’s housing plan, which she is trying to get passed as part of the now two week late state budget, would require downstate counties like Westchester to grow their affordable housing stock by 3% every three years.

“Well, I think the goal itself is doable. And I think we can meet the goal of we are talking about a three-year period of time by which you hit these numbers. I think in the aggregate we can do it,” Latimer says.

But Hochul’s plan has a catch. If localities don’t meet their affordable housing targets, the state would have the ability to override local zoning requirements in favor of any new development, and essentially force communities to accept new projects.

Latimer and other suburban elected officials say that is the wrong approach.

“What we’ve been able to do before we’ve had any huge mandates and certainly any sticks, as some people have advocated for, we’ve used the kind of tools that we have available at a county and level and at a municipal level to do a lot more creation of affordable units and in general, we’ve had a lot more housing starts in Westchester than in Nassau and Suffolk combined,” Latimer said.

Westchester is somewhat unique among suburban counties due to its urban areas, like downtown White Plains.

A new apartment complex in White Plains will include 500 apartments — 15 of the apartments will be affordable.

“Well, some of it is urban area development to be sure,” Latimer says. “But we look at a lot of locations in Westchester where we developed housing. Forty-two units [in] Lewisboro. Lewisboro is a classic sort of rural-suburban town.”

Latimer also showed NY1 a development along the Hudson River between the borders of Sleepy Hollow and Tarrytown, which will include 60 affordable units.

In the meantime, Hochul told reporters Friday that they are finally in a good place during budget talks, including progress toward her housing proposal, which has been a big sticking point.

“We are moving down in a very fruitful way right now,” Hochul said. “We are making good progress. I know the legislature will be back soon and looking forward to wrap this up at some point in the not too far distant future.”