Lack of available reasonably priced housing in NYS adds to exodus

I had read all the previous comments by the political pundits and the public about accepting and not accepting Governor Hochul’s proposal for 800,000 new units of housing that needs to be constructed over the next 10 years. I believe in my professional opinion that in concept that is absolutely what is needed to keep our consumers, especially Millennials, GenZs, and all others from exiting NYS.

However, the exact execution was way too authoritarian of a proposal to exact an executive order to usurp all local zoning rules, regulations, and laws, which I feel and believe is absolutely the wrong method and solution and path to pursue in solving our lack of housing. Now that her proposal is “dead in the water” something still needs to be accomplished and a new proposal needs to be put forth ASAP; which I MEAN IMMEDIATELY!!!

We have been losing population for the last 10 years (180,000+ just in 2022) even though ex-Gov. Cuomo’s idea of trying to attract outside businesses and their employees to relocate to NYS with no taxes for 10 years via his multi-million dollar expenditures on commercials to me was a total failure and a waste, as usual. of taxpayer dollars! We surely need to keep people from moving out of NYS, but the question arises how do we do it? We absolutely need much more housing. But most important, it has to be at a reasonable or below market cost so families and singles can survive, not live paycheck to paycheck, but in a fashion that allows them to save some money for when and if they are able to finally retire or at least work fewer hours.

Our State and Federal government will need to be involved in assisting builders financially and in utilizing underused buildings, in Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, and in NYC and its 5 Boroughs and as far upstate as necessary and required. There is the land in many areas of Long Island, especially in Suffolk that is in a “Land Trust.” I agree with inventorying and saving land for non-development. However, there needs to be a better balance between its’ usage and saving our environment and at the same time keeping more of our important and most critical resource, our precious “water” supply and our “people” from

Continued from page 2 gallons at a time because it’s excellent for up to six weeks in the refrigerator.

Now you’re ready. Once you have that beautiful concentrate locked and loaded, it’s time to make a tall, beautiful, lovely iced coffee! You’ll need ice, coffee concen-

BY PHILIP A. RAICES

leaving our state! But in reality, a very critical resource that we are not addressing as truly crucial is our natural water source from our deep underground aquifers in Long Island (compared to the State reservoirs that get replenished the majority of the time with rainfall) as our only source of potable water and the declining amounts and availability over the next 50 years when considering new construction and its impact for our future.

Locations where new construction could be considered should be outside Long Island, due to our declining water availability and lack of immediate replenishment in our deep underground aquifers over the next 50 years; as occurs in our upstate reservoirs. Queens, NYC and its 5 boroughs as well as upstate where available unused and under used buildings and land can be found where the necessary and much needed rentals and “for sale” units could and should be constructed.

Although the construction of new housing is extremely necessary, we are at a tipping point of balancing our specific human “needs and wants” with our ecosystem and environment and with the mass amounts of water that we will need going forward when additional units of housing are completed. I firmly see the need. However, much more careful strategizing and planning is tantamount to determining where the most advantageous and best locations are for new construction; while at the same time, balancing as many of the concerns of our public and our environment that can and must be addressed. By choosing a well throughout, a logical and pragmatic path we can minimize as much as possible any and all of the negative effects and damage that can be attributed to additional construction.

We will continue to have a severe need for employees to run and manage our businesses on Long Island and all other states like Chicago, California and those areas that had been greatly impacted by the Pandemic as people left largely populated cities to the “burbs.” Unfortunately, ChatGPT and other AI programs will actually eliminate blue-collar as well as white-collar jobs as we look into the future. ChatGPT took the Law Exams and scored a 97, so lawyers have a lot of concerns as many may not have a position in the future. Insurance Brokers will also need to worry as AI will answer every necessary and possible question that t the consumer might ask so the Major Insurance companies will eliminate their ancillary offices. However, I don’t believe real estate Brokers and agents will have to worry as much as we are still an integral and critical component of showing, advising, and consulting our client sellers, investors, purchasers, renters, and lessees of residential and commercial property, through our “concerted efforts, disciplined actions and the sacrifice of our valuable time (S.A.C.E.D.S.). Only those who do not understand, and have the knowledge and expertise and professionalism, and wherewithal to run their businesses profitably will leave to find a job or just be eliminated. We must find ways to keep our families and people in place and more housing is one of the answers besides greater and more focused targeted education opportunities for higher-paying positions. Moreover, reducing waste and the cost of our government and also reducing state income and real estate taxes. This will lessen the impact of losing our “most valuable and hard to replace “people resource” to lower-cost states without State Income Taxes and lower costs of living. These are the most untenable and impactful issues and dilemmas that need to be addressed and solved, otherwise, we will continue going down a very “slippery slope” of further decline and the loss of “whatever is left of” our so-called middle-class population and job creation.

P.S. We are having our 2nd annual American Cancer Association Fund Raiser on Thursday, June 1, 2023, at Governor’s Comedy Club at 90 Division Ave, Levittown. Tickets are $20 and all money will be donated to the Association. Doors and bar open at 6:30 pm. We will have 4 comedians that

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trate and your choice of milk, cream and/ or sugar. Or just drink it black. It will be nonacidic and not the least bit bitter.

And there you have it: Icy cold, undiluted, perfect iced coffee!

Start small. Not ready to commit to nearly 2 gallons of coffee concentrate? No problem. Scale down the proportions: 2 ta- will be entertaining you beginning at 8 pm. We will also have a 50/50 Raffle and a possible Auction for some very valuable items. There will be a brief discussion or PowerPoint presentation on our Cancer issue. We sold out last year and raised $9700, so help us reach our goal of $20,000 this year. No tickets will be sold at the door on the day of the event. So it is imperative that you call me (516) 647-4289 to purchase your tickets ASAP. Right now we have 85 left, so first come, first serve. Thanks! blespoons of ground coffee for each cup of cold water.

Philip A. Raices is the owner/Broker of Turn Key Real Estate at 3 Grace Ave Suite 180 in Great Neck. He has 40 years experience in the Real Estate industry and has earned designations as a Graduate of the Realtor Institute (G.R.I.) and also as a Certified International Property Specialist (C.I.P.S.) and in 2022 has earned his National Association of Realtors “Green Industry designation for eco-friendly construction. He will provide you with “free” regular updates of sold and new homes in your town via the Multiple Listing Service of Long Island (MLSLI) or go to https://WWW. Li-RealEstate.Com and you can “do it yourself (DYI) and search on your own. For a “FREE” `15 minute consultation, as well as well as a “FREE printout or digital value analysis of what your home might sell for in today’s market without any obligation or “strings” attached. He can also provide a copy of “Unlocking the Secrets of Real Estate’s New Market Reality, and our Seller’s and Buyer’s Guides for “Things to Consider when Selling, investing or Purchasing your Home.

You can email or snail mail (regular mail) him with your request or ideas, suggestions or interview you for a specific topic and a Q & A for a future column with your name, email and cell number. He will email or call you back and respond to your request ASAP as long as he has your complete name, cell, email and/or full home or business address. Again, for a “FREE” 15 minute consultation, he can also be reached by cell: (516) 647-4289 or by email: Phil@ TurnKeyRealEstate.Com to answer any of your questions and concerns in selling, investing, purchasing, or leasing residential or commercial property.

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/ contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually.

Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”

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BY DENNIS MAMMANA

Week of May 14-20, 2023

Peer into a dark rural sky on a moonless night and you’ll see more stars than you could ever imagine. All are suns, most with their own planetary systems, and are so distant that their light has taken decades or centuries to cross space before entering our eyes.

The stars we see account for only a tiny fraction of all that exist. They, along with hundreds of billions more, make up a colossal spiral structure we know as our Milky Way Galaxy -- our home star city.

But this, too, is just a tiny part of our cosmos, for beyond our galaxy lie others -- hundreds of billions of them, each with hundreds of billions of suns.

Now it’s true that most of these island universes are much too distant and faint to see with our eyes, but not all. During the autumn months, we can spot the Great Andromeda Galaxy as a smudge of light within the constellation Andromeda, and from the Earth’s Southern Hemisphere, one can easily see the Magellanic Clouds, two nearby galaxies entwined in a gravitational tango with our own Milky Way.

These are the only galaxies visible to the human eye. Aim a small telescope skyward, however, and all that changes, especially at this time of year.