WESTCHESTER COUNTY CLERK TO PROVIDE HELP IN APPLYING FOR NEW VETERANS ID CARD

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Offering National Veterans I.D. Card

Westchester, NY – A long-awaited mandate to honor veterans that was legislated in 2015 has finally been rolled out by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The Westchester County Clerk’s Office would like to highlight the National Veterans Identification Card (VIC), informing all honorably discharged veterans, another action honoring their service to this country.

Only those veterans with honorable service will be able to apply for the ID card, which will provide proof of military service, and may be accepted by retailers in lieu of the standard DD-214 form used to obtain promotional discounts and other services offered to veterans.

County Clerk Tim Idoni, records keeper of the files said, "The VIC provides a more portable and secure alternative for those who served the minimum obligated time in service, but did not meet the retirement or medical discharge threshold. The Westchester County Clerk's office is pleased to announce that we can assist veterans in receiving this invaluable resource."

Veterans Affairs Secretary Dr. David J. Shulkin said, “The new Veterans Identification Card provides a safer and more convenient and efficient way for more veterans to show proof of service with the card, Veterans with honorable service to our nation will no longer need to carry around their paper DD-2114s to obtain Veterans discounts and other services. In fact, veterans are encouraged to file their DD-214’s with the Clerk’s office for safekeeping.

Veterans who served in the armed forces, including the reserve components, and who have a discharge of honorable or general (under honorable conditions) can request a VIC. In addition to securing the card locally through the Office of the Westchester County Clerk, eligible veterans can request a VIC, Veterans can apply online at www.vets.gov. On the bottom left of the page click on “Apply for Printed Veteran ID Card” and sign in or create an account.

 

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Apply for and manage the VA benefits and services you’ve earned as a Veteran, Servicemember, or family member—like health care, disability, education, and more.

Veterans who apply for a card should receive it within 60 days and can check delivery status of their cards at vets.gov. A digital version of the VIC will be available online by mid-December.

Please call Crystal Collins Program Administrator if you have any questions at (914) 995-3082 for more information or visit the County Clerk’s office at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in White Plains. We are open from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. Information is also available on the County Clerk website at www.westchesterclerk.com. Please click here for our brochure.

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County Clerk Idoni Issues Advisory Regarding Recent Solicitations

White Plains, New York - The Office of the Westchester County Clerk has been informed that homeowners have recently been receiving notices from private companies offering to retrieve a copy of their deed and other property information upon payment of a “processing fee” of $89.  This is a reminder that a copy of your recorded deed can be easily obtained from the Land Records Division of the Office of the Westchester County Clerk at a fraction of the cost.

County Clerk Idoni also advises:

  • You have the right to get a copy of your recorded deed from the Land Records Division of the Office of the Westchester County Clerk without employing a private service or paying a processing fee.
  • The usual cost for a certified copy of a recorded deed from the County Clerk’s Office is $5.00, and an uncertified copy may be less than $2.00.
  • Don’t be persuaded by official-looking mailers.  If your deed has been recorded in the County Clerk’s Office, the recording is valid whether or not you have a copy in your possession.
  • To determine whether your deed is recorded in the County Clerk’s office, visit Westchester Records Online at wro.WestchesterClerk.com or visit our office and use the free public viewing terminals to view the actual document image.
  • Property records are available for inspection, copying, and certification at the Land Records Division of the County Clerk’s Office. Land Records staffers are here to help you.  Take advantage of their knowledge and expertise by visiting or calling our staff at (914) 995-3094.  

The Land Records Division of the County Clerk’s Office is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in White Plains and is open between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  If you wish to obtain a copy of your deed by mail, please call (914)995-3094 and have the name of the property owner and the property address available so that our staff can serve you more quickly. Requests are also accepted via email to .

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For media inquiries, contact Crystal Collins (914) 995-3082

The Office of the Westchester County Clerk is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in White Plains and is open 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  For more information, please visit our website www.WestchesterClerk.com or call (914)995-3080.

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Ceremonies Held at the Westchester County Courthouse Each Month

two men and a woman posing

White Plains, New York - America has always been called the melting pot but has recently been complicated by the national issues of immigration and deportation. But here in Westchester nine hundred seventeen new naturalized citizens since January 1st will celebrate America's independence on July 4th as proud Americans. Each swore their Oath of Allegiance, led by County Clerk Tim Idoni, during ceremonies held in the Richard Daronco Courthouse in White Plains. The ceremonies are held traditionally twice a month at the site. Westchester's newest Americans are composed of representatives from as many as two dozen countries.

County Clerk Idoni stated, “Of the more than one dozen formal duties performed as the Westchester County Clerk, the most enjoyable is the swearing in of our new citizens. The smiles on the faces of more than one hundred twenty new citizens each time say their journey is complete.” Idoni has sworn in over 30,000 new citizens since taking office in 2006.

Each of the ceremonies is considered to be an action of the New York Supreme Court under the jurisdiction of 9th District Administrative Judge Alan D. Scheinkman.  Idoni acts as the Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts.  Each Supreme Court Justice presiding over the court makes poignant remarks on the importance of citizenship and often stays to meet and greet each of the citizens to offer personal congratulatory remarks.  

Please join Westchester County Clerk Tim Idoni in celebrating with our 2017 nine hundred seventeen newly naturalized citizens of Westchester County. Happy Independence Day!

For media inquiries, contact Crystal Collins (914) 995-3082

Download pdf version of press release.

The Office of the Westchester County Clerk is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in White Plains and is open 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays. For more information, call (914)995-3080.

Idoni Honored as New York's County Clerk of the Year

2017CountyClerkOfTheYearWestchester County Clerk Tim Idoni was honored by his peers with two prestigious awards on June 12, 2017 at the New York State Association of County Clerks (NYSACC) conference held in Lake Placid, New York. Idoni, currently serving in his twelfth year as the County’s recorder of land records and Clerk of the Supreme and County Courts, was hailed for his leadership in professional management processes, legislative advocacy and twenty-first century technological advancements. These are the ninth and tenth awards won since 2010, primarily for technological leadership and fiscal efficiency through systems that can be duplicated in counties all over the country.

Idoni was named Clerk of the Year for his leadership in legislation promulgating the electronic recording/filing of land and legal documents statewide. His office went from a nine-month backlog in land recordings in 2005 to an electronic system that can process a deed or mortgage in as little as fifteen minutes. Eighty-five percent (85%) of the office’s legal records and seventy-five percent (75%) of its land records are now submitted online - amongst the highest rates state-wide. His innovative systems have returned $ 29.5 million to the taxpayers in the form of savings over the past eleven years. His staffing has been reduced from 110 in 2006 to its current level of 68.

Idoni also received one of three statewide Achievement awards (his fourth in eight years) from NYSACC for his work over the past twelve months. As the court-appointed Chair of the New York State Office of Court Administration Committee on Supreme Court Civil E-Filing, Idoni and his team of twenty-four judges, attorneys and county clerks from all over the state review sixty-two (62) counties’ abilities to perform mandated e-filing, to protect the public and the courts under very strict state legislative guidelines and rules. He also co-chairs NYSACC’s all-important Legislative Committee, which produces, reviews and advocates for and against legislation which impact Clerks’ systems and operations from small counties to large. He also sits on a national committee made up of private and public sector officials writing a white paper on the impact of Clerk fees across the country.

Idoni said, “I want to thank my fellow Clerks for these two tremendous honors. My goal has always been to produce efficient and user-friendly systems and procedures to benefit the citizens of Westchester, as well as other counties throughout the state.”

For media inquiries, contact Crystal Collins (914) 995-3082

Click here for a PDF version of this press release.

The Office of the Westchester County Clerk is located at 110 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in White Plains and is open 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, excluding legal holidays.  For more information or for a copy of the 2016 Annual report, please visit our website www.WestchesterClerk.com or call (914)995-3080.

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But Judgments Remain Too High, Clerk Says

 

WHITE PLAINS, NY: Based on figures released today by Westchester County Clerk Timothy C. Idoni, foreclosure filings in 2016 were down 54.8% from their all-time high in 2009 (3,123), but judgments on foreclosure actions last year were the third highest of the past ten years.  However, figures for the first quarter of 2017 indicate a 23.9% decrease in filings compared to last year’s first quarter, while judgments are down 15.1% from the same quarter last year.

Idoni said, “The figures in filings are certainly encouraging, showing that fewer homeowners are entering foreclosure.  The judgment side is still too high, but we hope to see a decrease in those through fewer filings and increased awareness of counseling and financial options.”

Foreclosures still remain a major concern in Westchester County as many homeowners became over extended during the real estate bubble of 2005-07.  Judgments had decreased precipitously for a few years as the courts tried to address a number of technical issues in the financial industries, including paper-work mistakes made in the rush to grant mortgages that could not be supported by the homeowners and borrowers.

Below are the foreclosure figures for the past five years and the first quarter of this year:

Year Filings Judgments
2012 1,810 208
2013 2,696 372
2014 2,323 772
2015 2,120 1,181
2016 1,412 1,175
2017 (1st Qtr.) 316 248

County Clerk Idoni encourages those who are facing foreclosure to seek professional counseling as soon as possible to avoid missing legal deadlines or other technical hurdles in the foreclosure proceeding.

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