Staff

Rosemarie Noonan, Executive Director
Ms. Noonan has held the position of Executive Director since 1986 and has been with the Council since 1979. She began her housing career as Director of the National Leased Housing Association, the leading trade association for government assisted rental housing development and management located in Washington, DC. She has held program and policy positions at the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and the New York State Division of Housing & Community Renewal. She attended Trinity College in Washington, DC, received an advanced degree in Government from Georgetown University, and is a graduate of Pace University School of Law.

Ms. Noonan has developed various programs which have assisted in the development of housing, including tax-exempt financing, mortgage insurance, and housing rehabilitation programs. She has advised State and local housing officials on designing and implementing affordable housing programs and plans. She manages the Yonkers Affordable Housing Office which is responsible for implementing a housing desegregation order. She has designed housing seminars and trained professionals nationwide. She is experienced in integrating the housing development process with health and human service programs.

She has fostered the creation of several Westchester not-for-profit organizations, e.g. The Preservation Company, Washingtonville Housing Alliance, and the New Rochelle Neighborhood Revitalization Corporation. The goal of these organizations is the development of housing which serves low income families and individuals of modest means. She has advised many civic groups, religious groups, and community organizations on appropriate roles for themselves in housing development and assisted them through the development process. Her services are primarily focused in the Hudson Region; however she has provided this service throughout New York State and in many areas throughout the country. She has a strong working knowledge of Federal, State, County and local housing programs and is skilled in integrating them to develop financially feasible and affordable housing developments.

She is the author of over a dozen guidebooks and manuals on housing programs and developing housing.

Alan Gordon, Deputy Director
As a planner and financial packager, Mr. Gordon specializes in financial modelling and securing funding for housing development. He has developed innovative strategies that effectively integrate conventional and public financing. On behalf of for-profit and not-for-profit developers, he has managed the development of numerous projects, including negotiating land sale agreements, structuring bond financing, obtaining various forms of financing, and syndicating projects. He also conducts preliminary site and building analyses.

He has advised municipalities on land use strategies, public financing programs, and disposition strategies for publicly owned land and buildings that promote the development of housing that is affordable to households of modest means. He has assembled development teams, including architects, surveyors, engineers, contractors and others  sensitive to the concerns of governments and the needs of not-for-profit and for profit developers. He has developed working partnerships between government and for-profit developers as well as for-profit developers and not-for-profit organizations.

Mr. Gordon attended Drexel University and holds a Masters in Urban Planning from Michigan State University. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and has worked as a development analyst and community planner in both urban and rural communities. He joined the Housing Action Council in 1978.

Nancy Bensal, Director, Community Housing Resource Center
Ms. Bensal provides technical and administrative assistance to local housing boards and housing organizations, local advocates, officials, developers and other interested individuals to develop community support for housing plans that fit into the existing infrastructure while respecting the unique traditions of local communities. She is a licensed NY attorney. For the past 25 years she has practiced law in the area of general litigation and appeals, corporate law and commercial real estate.

Prior to joining the HAC in 2003, Ms. Bensal managed commercial property in the Bronx which included developing relationships with the community and public and private organizations. Her efforts resulted in the retention, creation and expansion of businesses and the creation of over 100 jobs for neighborhood residents. Nancy brings strong community organization skills to the CHRC to provide "back office" assistance to undergird community activities centered around the issue of affordable housing.

Ms. Bensal is a graduate of Hofstra Law School and has held a position in the Manhattan based law firm of Epstein Becker & Green and the N.Y.S. Attorney General's Office. Nancy has lived in New York her entire life and has been a resident of Westchester for the past 20 years.

Terry Fleischman, Home Ownership Director
Prior to joining Housing Action Council in 1995, Ms. Fleischman was Credit Supervisor with General Motors Acceptance Corporation in Yonkers for nine years. Among her many previous job responsibilities, she investigated and made credit determination on retail and lease applications. As Credit Representative, she supervised and controlled outstanding retail and lease customer credit accounts and developed alternative financial programs and strategies for customers unable to meet contractual obligations.

Ms. Fleischman is proficient in computer technology and has served as a PC Coordinator. She majored in Sociology and Computer Science at SUNY Albany.

Ms. Fleischman is responsible for HAC's Homeownership department. In addition to counseling first time home buyers, she handles the qualification of the prospective homeowners and renters of the affordable housing developments sponsored by HAC. She also oversees the community outreach for HAC projects. In addition, she manages its down-payment and closing cost assistance and home improvement programs.

Dolores Leibert, Home Ownership Counselor
Prior to joining Housing Action Council in 1999, Ms. Leibert was employed by the Residential Money Centers as a post closing reviewer. She examined both credit and legal documents to see that all underwriting guidelines were met and clients' credit, income and savings were sufficient to close. She checked legal documents for accuracy and completeness. She also held various positions at Midlantic Bank, Emigrant Mortgage Co., Globe Mortgage Company, Marine Midland and Dime Savings Bank. Ms. Leibert provides budget, credit and mortgage counseling to prospective first time homebuyers. She conducts workshops and provides intensive one on one counseling to assist individuals and families to achieve homeownership. In addition she is responsible for managing relationships with the participating New York Mortgage Coalition members.

Gaitre Rambharose, Office Manager/Administrative Assistant
Prior to joining Housing Action Council, Gaitre worked at The United Way of New York City, where she was an Analyst in the campaign department.  She has a broad range of experience in office administrative and support functions in private and not for profit organizations.  Gaitre holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration from Monroe College in New Rochelle. 

Ira Plattus, Administrative Assistant/Receptionist
Ira has been with the Housing Action Council for almost nine years.  He is the Administrative Assistant/ Receptionist, prior to working in this capacity; Ira studied drawing and painting at The Westchester Art Workshop in White Plains.