East End voters sent a message in November by voting for a new tax they are willing to pay to tackle the growing problem of affordable housing.
On Friday, government leaders and community advocates gathered at a forum in Sag Harbor to discuss the challenge of how best to spend the money generated in the newly created Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Fund.
The fund raises money through a 0.5% tax on most real estate transactions. Money from the fund could be used in a variety of ways, including providing financial assistance to first-time homebuyers, building new affordable housing units and rehabilitating existing structures for conversion into community housing, officials said.
Assembly Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor), the key architect behind the bill that created the fund, organized the Friday forum at the Sag Harbor Cinema. He noted that it took 21 years for the measure to be passed, but said the hard work was still to come.
“Passing the law is easy, implementing the law is difficult,” said Thiele. “We wanted to bring everyone involved together to talk about implementation.”
Attendees included the City Wardens of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island, Southold’s Deputy Warden, Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) – who helped push the law through – and Suffolk County Legis. Bridget Fleming (D-Noyack).
They discussed issues such as secondary housing, zoning plans, the transfer of building rights and how federal housing laws must be considered.
Thiele also mentioned Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal this week to add 800,000 housing units across New York over the next decade.
The MP also stressed that it was crucial for city officials to continue to involve the public in the process.
In East Hampton and Southold, voters passed the referenda by large majorities. The vote was closer in Southampton and on Shelter Island – where just 15 votes separated the measure from failure.
Shelter Island housing advocate Elizabeth Hanley, who received a death threat while lobbying for the local referendum, will chair the island’s Community Housing Fund advisory board, officials said on Friday.
The cities of Southampton, Southold and East Hampton are still in the process of finalizing their governing bodies’ rosters, which will help direct local efforts to create affordable housing. Between seven and 15 townspeople can serve on each board.
Shelter Island Manager Gerry Siller said housing is one of two key issues the city government is committed to solving, along with water quality.
“We’re trying to preserve a community that we’re losing,” he said.
Thiele also said Friday it’s important that cities don’t get too ambitious at first and focus on small steps, lest one bad project jeopardize the entire program.
“It wouldn’t be the first project a 200-unit high-rise in downtown Hampton Bays,” Thiele quipped.
The new fund is similar to the current Community Preservation Fund, which adds a 2% property tax to fund open space preservation in East End towns – a program widely hailed as a success by officials.
East End voters sent a message in November by voting for a new tax they are willing to pay to tackle the growing problem of affordable housing.
On Friday, government leaders and community advocates gathered at a forum in Sag Harbor to discuss the challenge of how best to spend the money generated in the newly created Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Fund.
The fund raises money through a 0.5% tax on most real estate transactions. Money from the fund could be used in a variety of ways, including providing financial assistance to first-time homebuyers, building new affordable housing units and rehabilitating existing structures for conversion into community housing, officials said.
Assembly Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor), the key architect behind the bill that created the fund, organized the Friday forum at the Sag Harbor Cinema. He noted that it took 21 years for the measure to be passed, but said the hard work was still to come.
“Passing the law is easy, implementing the law is difficult,” said Thiele. “We wanted to bring everyone involved together to talk about implementation.”
Attendees included the City Wardens of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island, Southold’s Deputy Warden, Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) – who helped push the law through – and Suffolk County Legis. Bridget Fleming (D-Noyack).
They discussed issues such as secondary housing, zoning plans, the transfer of building rights and how federal housing laws must be considered.
Thiele also mentioned Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposal this week to add 800,000 housing units across New York over the next decade.
The MP also stressed that it was crucial for city officials to continue to involve the public in the process.
In East Hampton and Southold, voters passed the referenda by large majorities. The vote was closer in Southampton and on Shelter Island – where just 15 votes separated the measure from failure.
Shelter Island housing advocate Elizabeth Hanley, who received a death threat while lobbying for the local referendum, will chair the island’s Community Housing Fund advisory board, officials said on Friday.
The cities of Southampton, Southold and East Hampton are still in the process of finalizing their governing bodies’ rosters, which will help direct local efforts to create affordable housing. Between seven and 15 townspeople can serve on each board.
Shelter Island Manager Gerry Siller said housing is one of two key issues the city government is committed to solving, along with water quality.
“We’re trying to preserve a community that we’re losing,” he said.
Thiele also said Friday it’s important that cities don’t get too ambitious at first and focus on small steps, lest one bad project jeopardize the entire program.
“It wouldn’t be the first project a 200-unit high-rise in downtown Hampton Bays,” Thiele quipped.
The new fund is similar to the current Community Preservation Fund, which adds a 2% property tax to fund open space preservation in East End towns – a program widely hailed as a success by officials.
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