Construction is underway on a major mixed-income housing development in White Plains that will add 296 apartments near the North White Plains Metro-North station.

The project, located on Haarlem Avenue, is the first development to utilize New York State's Housing Acceleration Fund, an initiative launched by Gov. Kathy Hochul to help fast-track shovel-ready housing projects across the state.

The development, by BRP Companies, will feature a mix of studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, along with ground-floor retail space and a publicly accessible park.

Officials say five affordable units will be reserved for households earning up to 60% of the area median income, while 25 units will be set aside for households earning up to 110% of the area median income. The remaining apartments will be offered at market rates.

Longtime White Plains residents Gary O'Brien and Benjamin Brown, members of Citizens Advocating for White Plains, say affordability remains a top concern as new development continues throughout the city.

"Our concern is that, if affordability is not top of the list, what's going to happen is kids are not going to live here, grandkids are not going to be able to live here," Gary O'Brien said.

The group supports new housing development but wants to ensure affordable units are accessible to the residents who need them most.

"These affordable housing programs are something a lot of people really are about getting it right," Benjamin Brown said. "We want it to be substantial to really meet serious affordability targets."

State officials have not announced a timeline for the project's completion.