Responses To Governor Hochul’s Housing Crisis Strategy

BY ANTON MEDIA STAFF specialsections@antonmediagroup.com

In early January, Governor Kathy Hochul delivered her first State of the State Address, in which she announced her statewide strategy to address the housing crisis in New York. The proposal calls for 800,000 new homes to be built over the next decade and requires local participation to achieve housing growth in every community.

The New York Housing Compact is a multipronged strategy that includes removing obstacles to approvals and incentivizing construction. One part of the plan that sticks out to many Long Island residents is the plan’s requirement that local governments with MTA train stations must locally rezone for higher-density residential development.

According to New York State’s website, Governor Hochul’s plan “will require that localities with rail stations run by the MTA undertake a local rezoning or higher density multifamily development within half a mile of the station unless they already meet the density level. By expanding housing potential in these transit-oriented communities, more families will be able to enjoy improved access to jobs and thriving sustainable communities.”

For Long Island’s North Shore, where suburbia and proximity to the city are cherished, this housing plan makes residents and local officials worry. Places like the Town of North Hempstead and the Town of Oyster Bay pride themselves on having access to one of the largest LIRR branches on the island while maintaining their suburban neighborhoods.

Local officials have begun to speak out against Governor Hochul’s housing plan to save the North Shore’s suburban neighborhoods from becoming overpopulated.

Seven Long Island State Senators released statements regarding their disapproval of the housing plan. In the statement, the senators call for changes to be made so local government can have a voice in their community’s growth.

Senator Jack Martins (District 7) said: “The Governor’s proposal is nothing less than an existential threat to our way of life that cannot be overstated or ignored. Although we acknowledge that there is a housing crisis in New York, the Governor needs to understand that she cannot mandate, legislate or regulate her way through this. Nor can she expect our communities to sit idly by while bureaucrats in Albany demolish the pillars of our suburban quality of life. I urge the

Governor to turn away from this foolish and clumsy proposal, to work with our communities and local leaders to incentivize not just growth but smart growth. I know firsthand the power and innovation that local governments can bring to this issue without State interference. While Mayor of Mineola, we worked with the community to develop a master plan that allowed for transit-oriented, residential development around Mineola’s LIRR station. The result is over 1,000 units of housing built in Mineola over the past 10 years. Collaboration and shared best practices will work where this proposal will not.”

The Town of North Hempstead board recently sent a letter to Governor Hochul asking her to reconsider certain aspects of her proposal, “most notably the three percent new home growth over three years and transit-oriented local rezoning mandates.”

Those familiar with the Town of North Hempstead board know that for the past year, there has been a large divide between the democratic majority and the republican minority on the board, leading to public disagreements. Partisanship has been pushed aside when it comes to Governor Hochul’s housing plan as all seven members of the board, including the Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena, have signed the letter. Below is an excerpt from the Town of North Hempstead letter.

“Local governments must maintain a certain level of autonomy when it comes to appropriately preserving the suburban aesthetic of their communities. We are hopeful you will make appropriate modifications that allow for that. Our residents deserve to have a seat at the table, as they always have, and we are concerned that this new initiative, as currently constituted, may hinder our ability to work proactively and collaboratively with them.”

“It is my belief that development and zoning changes should be the decision of local municipalities,” said Glen Cove City Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck in a statement. “The New York Housing Compact requires local participation and seemingly will provide incentives to achieve housing growth in every community of the State! Municipalities with

MTA railroad stations will be required to rezone to allow for higher density residential development! Residential zoning change decisions will no longer be the decision of local governments but will be decided by Governor Hochul’s mandate! This will destroy our suburban way of life!”

Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino stated in a release, “We must Save Our Suburbs from this ill-conceived plan as it would overcrowd classrooms, greatly increase traffic and cars parked on our streets, strain emergency services, and threaten the environment. Removing the rights of residents to have a say over the future of their communities is a direct threat to democracy, especially when you silence the voices of residents and replace their say over development projects with an unaccountable, bureaucratic board located hundreds of miles away in Albany. We call on all New Yorkers to stand with us in demanding that single-family zones remain intact throughout our State.”