As a result of a multi-party effort, a luxury, transit-oriented development at the Metro-North train station in Harrison will now set aside 5 percent of its 143 units at below market "affordable" rents.

The affordable units were made possible through cooperative actions by the MTA, which owns the property, the developer, AvalonBay Communities, the Town of Harrison and Westchester County.

"The Harrison Town Board has been working on this project for years," said Supervisor Ron Belmont. "This development is going to give a giant boost to our downtown and now we are at the point where the vision becomes reality."

The key to making seven units affordable was to find a formula that kept the project economically feasible for the builder, while also keeping the overall density and number of units at levels that the Town Board felt was appropriate for the community. Financing to be provided by the county will also help to strike the right balance.

"This is an example of how housing gets built and home rule and local zoning is still respected," said County Executive Robert P. Astorino. "I want to thank all the parties for their cooperation in moving the project forward."

The county will provide up to $1 million in subsidies for seven apartments and in exchange the county expects those units to be counted toward Westchester's obligation to develop 750 units of affordable housing under a 2009 settlement reached between the federal government and former County Executive Andrew Spano. Harrison is one of 31 communities designated for the settlement's affordable units.

The MTA's involvement in the project includes giving its 3.3 acre site to AvalonBay in exchange for 475 commuter spaces in a parking garage to be built by AvalonBay.

Occupants of the affordable units will be determined through a lottery among qualified applicants whose income does not exceed 60% of Westchester's median income.