WHITE PLAINS, NY-The stakes have gotten a bit higher in the ongoing battle between Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development over the terms of a 2009 fair housing case settlement.

Astorino secured approval from the Westchester County Board of Legislators on Monday night to file suit to block HUD from redistributing $7.4 million in Community Development Block grant funding the federal agency had previously frozen. The federal agency had given Astorino and the county until April 25 to comply with terms of the housing settlement concerning Source of Income anti-housing discrimination legislation and studying alleged exclusionary zoning practices in the county or else the funds would be reallocated to other municipalities outside of Westchester. HUD has consistently stated that the county has failed to live up to the terms of the settlement regarding Source of Income and exclusionary zoning, while the Astorino administration has steadfastly stated it is in compliance and ahead of schedule in building more than 700 fair and affordable housing units throughout the county.

Recently Astorino and the County Board of Legislators sent a letter to HUD asking for an extension on the April 25th funding deadline. The vote by the County Board of Legislators grants Astorino permission to file legal action only in regards to the HUD funding redistribution. See story in Newsday.