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Will Hochul's Proposal for Affordable Housing Threaten to Transform Long Island Into the Sixth Borough?
Gov. Hochul rekindled her feud with Long Island authorities who manage residential zoning regulations, which she believes are to blame for the Brain Drain and localities sustain keeps the region's lifestyle.
The objective of the New York Housing Compact, initiated by the governor, is to construct 800,000 residences across the state within the following 10 years to resolve the housing predicament. This plan would enable New York State to hasten and override community decisions on projects suggested. Democrats in Albany who are in control of the government of New York State and Republicans who form the majorities of many town governments on Long Island have clashed over this topic.
During her State of the State speech, Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul pointed out that in the past decade our state has made 1.2 million jobs, but only 400,000 residences were built. She emphasized that numerous factors caused this inequality, with the primary contributing factor being the local zoning regulations, which are the most prohibitive in the US. As a result of full bans of multi-family homes and a convoluted process of permitting and zoning, new house construction has been largely impeded.
Voters in East Hampton, Southampton, Southold and Shelter Island recently approved referenda placing a 0.5% real estate tax dedicated to affordable housing projects. This has reignited the discussion sparked by Governor Hochul’s Accessory Dwelling Unit proposal from the prior year, which she eventually withdrew in the face of disapproval over the prospect of adding more apartments to one-family homes.
Don Clavin, the Hempstead Town Supervisor, commented that locals prefer residing on Long Island due to its offer of single-family home and suburban lifestyle, and that they will not be coerced into modifying their residential areas into urban scenes by Albany.
The governor noted that Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Putnam Counties issued fewer building permits, per person, than virtually all the suburban counties in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Southern California, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Northern Virginia between 2010 and 2018.
The latest data from the United States Census shows that Nassau has more than 478,000 housing units. The proposition means that Nassau must construct an estimated 14,340 additional housing units over a period of three years. This conforms with the agreement stipulating a 3% increase in the housing inventory over the tristate area during the same amount of time.
Hochul argued that even though only a few new constructions in rural areas and villages would fulfill their objectives, it is necessary to undertake concrete actions in order to build the required abodes.
It is feared that the expedited approval process would eliminate the capacity of municipalities to put obstacles in the way of unappealing construction projects, increase traffic congestion, put a strain on public services and services, and saturate schools.
Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo (R-Sayville) pointed out that extensive housing growth in the Long Island suburban settlements would be detrimental to our wellbeing. According to him, the fundamental infrastructure is not built to involve such an abrupt raise in population, as it will widen traffic problems and overburden the sewage system. Additionally, to accommodate the influx of residents, school districts ought to sacrifice some quality time with their students, causing a jump in student-teacher ratios.
Hochul conveyed that state support in the shape of financial assistance will be offered to localities for infrastructure projects including schools, roads, and sewers.
Advocates in the area contend that the substantial exodus of people from the zone and the commonwealth due to the housing dilemma indicates that the issue must be confronted. The Brain Drain is resulting in the exit of the region's educated professionals and other gifted people.
Ian Wilder, the executive director of Long Island Housing Services, Inc., pointed out to everybody from Long Island that our deficiency in housing, notably low-cost housing, has reached an alarming stage. He added that the approaches we have usually employed on Long Island for providing housing have for some time been unsuccessful. Consequently, it has become urgent for us to modify our outdated laws to address our present housing requirements.
Critics remain anxious about the request to configure zones within a radius of half mile of Long Island Rail Road stations so that dwellings near mass transportation can be built accordingly, and the examining of such ventures is to be hustled up. Some Republicans acknowledged that housing is an issue, but in disbelief of Hochul's suggestion.
“We consider it important that metropolitan zones are established by local communities with the intention of deciding their fate,” said state Assemblyman Jake Blumencranz (R-Oyster Bay). “Through this never-seen-before offer by the governor, these privileges will now be in the exclusive hands of venture capitalists and influencers in Albany.”
Hunter Gross, president of the Huntington Township Housing Coalition, pointed out how urgent the demand is and it surpasses such questions.
Gross expressed that the Town of Huntington will benefit greatly due to the allowance of multi-family homes near railroad stations, as this would provide a plethora of different individuals(e.g. recent college graduates, diverse individuals, those with disabilities, and many families) with accommodation options.
Gross asserted that the Town of Huntington would be greatly advantaged by the construction of multi-family dwellings close to railroad stations, which would offer a multitude of varied people (including recent college graduates, disabled persons, and numerous families) with accommodation possibilities.
Despite the lack of progress on proposed housing projects due to a lack of sincere action, the state has opted to put in place a faster approval procedure, according to her. Without doing anything, it would be neglecting their duty to respond to a crisis.
