Letter: Town Board Needs to Approve Basement Apartments

Dear Supervisor Smyth and members of the  HuntingtonTown Board,
The town board needs to vote on and approve the basement ADU legislation.  At a time of unprecedented housing shortages, it is irresponsible not to take steps to provide safe housing for our citizens.  Basement ADU’s are not only the most affordable form of housing for the renters–often more affordable even than designated ‘affordable’ housing– but it also makes remaining in their home affordable for the homeowners.
We understand that basement ADU’s need to be safe not only for the occupants but also for first responders.  Failing to pass this law makes basement apartments UNSAFE, because people are going to live in them whether you pass the bill or not- they already are.  And because the landlords need the income, if a town inspector finds an illegal apartment, with this new law the inspector can put the homeowner on a path to a legal, safer apartment.  Without the law, we will simply be relocating unsafe illegal apartments to a different part of town.
Don’t say NO to basement ADU’s.  Pass a law that says what it takes to create SAFE basement ADU’s.
Roger Weaving is vice president of the Huntington Township Housing Coalition
https://huntingtonnow.com/town-board-proposes-ban-on-basement-apartments-changes-in-housing-law/
https://huntingtonnow.com/hearing-on-basement-apartments-postponed/
https://huntingtonnow.com/town-board-approves-accessory-apartment-law-changes/
https://huntingtonnow.com/town-board-proposes-ban-on-basement-apartments-changes-in-housing-law/
https://huntingtonnow.com/coalition-encourages-residents-to-get-involved-in-housing-issues/




One Reply to “Letter: Town Board Needs to Approve Basement Apartments”

  1. Remember that many of the basement apartments in Queens and NYC flooded badly and was a risk to life and property. Egress has also been a issue incase of a fire.

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