We, the residents of six homes in a predominantly Spanish-speaking neighborhood in the Village of Sleepy Hollow, are bringing urgent attention to a serious violation of property rights and public trust.
Without consent, the Village of Sleepy Hollow—through its Local Development Corporation (LDC)—entered and demolished or reconfigured our backyard patios, fundamentally altering our properties. This was done without notice or agreement, and outside the scope of what had been previously negotiated.
Initially, we cooperated with the Village in good faith. Rather than pursue a costly and contentious eminent domain dispute, we voluntarily sold portions of our properties to facilitate the construction of a new access road for the Department of Public Works (DPW). In return, we received fair market value and were promised a smooth integration between the new road and our remaining property, including new access and parking.
However, a significant engineering flaw in the project’s elevation design has caused the LDC to encroach by more than 50% onto our remaining yards. For over six months, we have been unable to use our own properties due to these disruptions and the resulting flooding, caused by improper grading.
The response from the LDC has been coercive and unacceptable. Instead of acknowledging their design failure, they have imposed unwanted “solutions” that drastically alter the character and functionality of our yards. Their plan includes installing drainage systems we never needed before—and assigning us the responsibility for their ongoing maintenance and potential repair. This is not remediation; it is exploitation.
Prior to construction, most yards had minimal grading that gently sloped away from the homes. Now, each yard has an abrupt two-foot elevation change, creating drainage problems, visual blight, and a loss of usable space. These changes were neither requested nor agreed to.
It is also painfully clear that the LDC’s autonomy has enabled unchecked abuse. There is no meaningful oversight, and public accountability mechanisms such as the planning board and resident review have been effectively removed. The LDC operates without transparency, and their budget—funded by taxpayer dollars—seems limitless when expanding projects, but conveniently constrained when it comes to fixing their own errors.
We cannot ignore the fact that this is happening to a middle-class, Spanish-speaking neighborhood, and we firmly believe this outcome would have been unthinkable in more affluent parts of the Village, such as “The Manor.” The disparity in treatment is obvious and painful.
Despite prior warnings about elevation concerns—communicated before reaching the so-called ‘point of no return’—the LDC proceeded. Now they refuse to take responsibility for their own negligence and instead demand we accept and maintain their flawed fix.
This is not just a land use dispute—it is a matter of equity, accountability, and respect for residents. We demand that:
- The Village and LDC take full responsibility for all property damage.
- Immediate steps be taken to restore full use and value of our yards at no cost to the homeowners.
- Oversight be reinstated through community and planning board input.
- An independent investigation be launched into the conduct, spending, and decision-making of the LDC.
- Equal treatment be afforded to all neighborhoods, regardless of language or economic status.
We will not allow our community to be silenced, displaced, or disrespected
We require your assistance.
I wish to add we don’t want any money; we want our property back!
Rene Hernandez
914-879-2948
