On Long Island's East End, schools, hospitals and other public services rely on a workforce that can’t afford to live where people work. Rents can easily reach $6,000 or more for a two bedroom house–and that’s just for the nine months of the off season. Year-round housing is even more difficult to find. With summer housing out of reach to anyone except the wealthy, year-round workers find themselves without housing just when rents are the least affordable.
As a result, the daily so-called “trade parade” of workers driving in from the west adds hours to long commutes – and people have been quitting their jobs in droves: teachers, health care workers, firefighters, police, shop clerks, local government staff and more. Help wanted signs are everywhere, with fewer workers willing to brave the commute or able to afford the rents.
On November 8 voters will decide on legislation that would allow the towns of
East Hampton, Southampton, Shelter Island and Southold to each establish a Community Housing Fund funded by a half percent addition to the existing 2% real estate transfer tax that funds the Community Preservation Fund.
Last year, State legislation authorizing the Fund was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul. The bill was sponsored by State Assemblymember Fred W. Thiele, Jr. and his counterpart in the State Senate Anthony Palumbo.
The legislation mandated that Towns would have to first adopt a Community Housing Plan and a local law establishing the fund. That’s already happened. But a final step remains: a referendum by the voters to approve the legislation. That’s on the ballot November 8.
This week I spoke with Sean McLean, managing partner of the development firm "MPACT Collective" about his experience with affordable housing development in the town of Southampton, New York. The firm is focused on addressing development with a commitment to social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Mpact Collective is working with the village of Sag Harbor on similar plans for affordable housing–plans that approval of the referendum will make much easier.
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