Coalition to Recommend More Affordable Housing

A housing coalition plans to present a report Monday to the Town Board on its findings, including recommendations for more affordable housing in Huntington.

The 28-page Huntington Township Housing Coalition documents a shortage of affordable housing needed for a workforce essential to keeping residents here and to stopping businesses from moving away.

The town’s Horizons 2020 report commissioned in 2008 found the following;
• All segments of the population are affected by the scarcity of affordable housing in Huntington.
• Rental housing options for Huntington’s lower-income residents are limited.
• The shortage of decent affordable housing has resulted in the proliferation of illegal, overcrowded and sub-standard housing.

It also found that  “for moderate and middle income members of the local workforce, such as nurses, police officers, secretaries and mid-level managers, choices for quality, affordable rental housing are similarly limited.”

The housing coalition’s report said that since that 2008 finding, conditions have worsened.

The study finds that the lack of affordable housing isn’t keeping people from moving here.  “They are living in sub-standard housing and overcrowded illegal apartments, adding to the existing traffic and wastewater challenges in town,” the report said.

The town has built just over 500 affordable homes, less than 18 percent of the 2,789 necessary affordable homes recommended, the housing group concludes.

The report found that housing costs had increased faster than wages: Since 2010, rent has increased 9 percent on Long Island while wages only increased 5 percent.

The median income of the bottom 10 percent of households is declining.
The size of households has dropped, requiring more housing units for a given population. 

The Town Board convenes at 2 p.m. Monday at Town Hall.

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