| John Mitty Tuesday, May 28, 2013 |
Community Housing Innovations, Inc. Urges Other Localities to Follow Brookhaven’s Lead on Multifamily Housing
Alexander Roberts, Executive Director, Community Housing Innovations, Inc., says the Brookhaven Town Board’s decision to allow the creation of multifamily housing is a step in the right direction which will help retain the younger generation of Long Islanders and provide affordable housing to keep them on Long Island. He also says that other Long Island municipalities — many of which refuse to provide any form of multifamily housing — should do the same.
Under the new law, multifamily housing will be allowed to be developed in areas such as downtown areas, hamlet centers and main corridors, as well as near railroad stations and bus stops. In addition, the town will be broken into three zones:
? A primary zone (10 units per acre), which will be located within a quarter mile of a major roadway and within a quarter mile of an existing downtown/hamlet center, designated transit-oriented development center or railroad station
? A secondary zone (seven units per acre), which will be a quarter mile from primary zones or located on a connector roadway or placed with a quarter mile of an existing Suffolk County transit bus route or commercial center
? A tertiary zone, in which there would be no multifamily housing because it does not meet the criteria
The revised law also has a provision that 10 percent of all newly constructed residences be set aside for affordable housing. Multifamily housing options can include apartments, condominiums and townhouses.
“We wish to praise the Brookhaven Town Board for overhauling the zoning code, which was long overdue,” Mr. Roberts says. “This will allow more of our younger people to stay here on Long Island, particularly in Brookhaven Town. We only wish that other municipalities follow the town’s lead and become a solution to the affordable housing problem here on Long Island.”
Mr. Roberts says many Long Island communities violate fair housing laws by opposing multifamily housing projects based on the fallacies that such housing would pay inadequate property taxes and increase student enrollment to unmanageable levels, against actual experience.
“Despite federal and state laws requiring some multifamily housing, local planning and zoning boards approve only single-family lots, producing a predictable patchwork of communities that deny the average worker the benefit of their superior schools, libraries, parks and services,” Mr. Roberts says.
In just ten years, according to the latest Census, the population of Suffolk County residents aged 25-34 has declined by more than 12 percent and 16.4 percent for those between the ages of 35-44. Mr. Roberts states, “This worries business leaders, who see employers pulling out as the county loses qualified workers.”
Mr. Roberts says many localities invoke “Home Rule” and abuse the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA) in order to deny affordable housing in their area. But if nonprofits, business and county government form an alliance to oppose exclusionary zoning that restricts development to single-family houses, the problem can be solved.
“Without challenging interpretations of Home Rule that promote segregation and exclusionary zoning, the NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) paradigm will continue to thwart plans to build inclusive, diverse communities that are needed to keep Long Island competitive,” he says.
Community Housing Innovations, Inc. provides affordable housing, apartments and homeownership grants, serving communities in Westchester County, Hudson Valley and Long Island. For more information, visit www.chigrants.org.
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About Community Housing Innovations, Inc.
Community Housing Innovations, Inc. provides housing and human services that enable low- and moderate-income families and individuals to achieve the greatest social and economic independence at the lowest cost to society. The organization provides affordable housing, apartments and homeowner grants, serving communities in Westchester County, Hudson Valley and Long Island. For more information, visit www.chigrants.org.
jmitty@longislandyellowpages.com Appears In: Press Releases
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