http://www.saghampton.com/2006/08/ok-so-where-do-we-put-the-affordable-housing/ Mon, 21 Mar 2011 21:49:49 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.saghampton.com/2006/08/ok-so-where-do-we-put-the-affordable-housing/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Anonymous Thu, 07 Sep 2006 03:23:00 +0000 http://www.saghampton.com/2006/08/28/ok-so-where-do-we-put-the-affordable-housing/#comment-32 I’ve been a proponent of mandatory inclusionary housing for quite a while, pushing for it since 1997 when working on Southampton Town’s update of its Comprehensive Plan with the other CACs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pushed this issue. With the exception of Councilwoman Carolyn Zenk (1999-2003) & Steve Kenny, it fell on deaf ears—the Town Council ignored the CACs, the League of Women Voters, the Group for the South Fork. Had they listened to us, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in, we’d have gotten many affordable housing units for our kids who’ve been driven out, and, for the countless others with their variegated talents that just can’t afford to live here anymore. I get sick when I think of all the lost opportunities in the 1990’s to 2003 when all of this land was going into booming subdivisions. Now, hospital workers, municipal workers, teachers, and all of the many who are the fabric that keeps Southampton and East Hampton going just can’t afford to live here, and haven’t for awhile. The developer-friendly, short-sighted powers on the Town Board and their appointed cronies on the ZBA, Planning Board were just too busy over these years working on behalf of the developers and not the public interest. They gave away the store. I hope Sag Harbor prevails with inclusionary zoning when they revamp their zoning code. There is absolutely no reason why a small percentage of the condos or the Bulova Building can’t be made affordable for the regular people who live here, who grew up here. It’s infuriating that that while Assemblyman Fred Thiele is trying to get legislation, our Senator LaValle is “stymying” his efforts. Shame on LaValle. I’ve been a proponent of mandatory inclusionary housing for quite a while, pushing for it since 1997 when working on Southampton Town’s update of its Comprehensive Plan with the other CACs. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pushed this issue. With the exception of Councilwoman Carolyn Zenk (1999-2003) & Steve Kenny, it fell on deaf ears—the Town Council ignored the CACs, the League of Women Voters, the Group for the South Fork. Had they listened to us, we wouldn’t be in the mess we’re in, we’d have gotten many affordable housing units for our kids who’ve been driven out, and, for the countless others with their variegated talents that just can’t afford to live here anymore. I get sick when I think of all the lost opportunities in the 1990’s to 2003 when all of this land was going into booming subdivisions. Now, hospital workers, municipal workers, teachers, and all of the many who are the fabric that keeps Southampton and East Hampton going just can’t afford to live here, and haven’t for awhile. The developer-friendly, short-sighted powers on the Town Board and their appointed cronies on the ZBA, Planning Board were just too busy over these years working on behalf of the developers and not the public interest. They gave away the store.
I hope Sag Harbor prevails with inclusionary zoning when they revamp their zoning code. There is absolutely no reason why a small percentage of the condos or the Bulova Building can’t be made affordable for the regular people who live here, who grew up here. It’s infuriating that that while Assemblyman Fred Thiele is trying to get legislation, our Senator LaValle is “stymying” his efforts. Shame on LaValle.

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