The complaint that Long Island is losing population is not entirely accurate, though Long Island is not growing as much as other areas at 3% vs. 7% nationwide between 2011-2021).

Critically over the same 10-year span Long Island lost 98,000 residents aged 35-54. And this was not because of high taxes or utility bills, but because of the lack of housing that is affordable for young people starting out and seniors/retirees/empty-nesters. This creates an unvirtuous cycle of Long Island’s inability to grow economically, sustainably because workers can’t afford to live here.

As a result new enterprises don’t establish here that can’t afford paying high salaries, and those who would purchase goods and services to support businesses move away or do not have the discretionary income to spend. Fewer workers, fewer people, fewer sales means property taxes to support schools, emergency services, parks, libraries, roads and the like are higher for all, while the scarcity of housing pushes up prices for all:  50% of Long Island renters and 30% of homeowners spend more than 30% of their incomes on housing.

These “intertwined dynamics of housing, talent attraction and economic development” were outlined in a 73-page application by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council to win a $10 million state grant, based on promoting housing development.  “Long Island’s ‘brain drain’ and aging population do not bode well for its future,” it said.

Gov. Kathy Hochul has correctly zeroed in on housing as the crux to turn this circle around while prioritizing quality of life that people associate with “Suburbia.” That really means that housing, even at higher density than the traditional single-family home associated with Suburbia, has to be developed based on principles of health, wellness, greenspace, place-making and architectural design as opposed to high-rise institutional and cheap. The concept here is that more housing – not necessarily low-income housing – will bring down the price for all – negating the bogeyman image of “those people” turning our precious suburbs into Queens.

Republicans, including County Legislature Mazi Pilip, who now seeks to become a member of Congress, mined the furor over Hochul’s bold carrot-and-stick housing proposal, which would have required communities to add housing while providing millions to fund the infrastructure to support it. Otherwise the state would bypass local control and approve developments and Democrats, fearing another “bail reform” debacle, joined the refrain in defense of local control.

Well, Hochul came back with a new strategy, one that minimizes the “sticks” of her original plan while maximizing the “carrots:” essentially, communities that show they are expanding affordable housing will get dibs on $650 million for infrastructure funding. Existing programs, such as the $10 million Downtown Revitalization Initiative grant, have also helped communities like Westbury, Patchogue, Farmingdale, Mineola, Glen Cove, Ronkonkoma, Yaphank, Wyandanch Village, and Brookhaven revitalize with transit-oriented housing, winning accolades from Vision Long Island.

The excuse Long Island electeds have always used is that they don’t want to upset the character of America’s First Suburb. Except that Long Island is archaic and even more “suburban” than other suburban communities, which is why property taxes and cost of living are so high, while neighborhoods are the most racially segregated in the country even 56 years after the Fair Housing Act of 1968. In Nassau and Suffolk, single-family detached homes make up 79.1% of the housing stock, compared to the very fine suburbs of Westchester (44.4%) and Rockland County (57.1%) and 62.9% nationally, according to U.S. Census Bureau statistics cited by Newsday.

But this disparity in housing stock is reflected in the slow-growth of Long Island – only 2% job growth compared to 12% nationally (2011-2021), with most new units being single family homes (out of reach for young people), while the region saw 62,000 more jobs created than housing units (2000-2019), according to LIREDC.

From 2012 to 2021, Long Island added seven units per 1,000 residents while New Jersey suburbs added 35, Connecticut suburbs added 16 and the Lower Hudson Valley (Westchester) added 13 units per 1,000 residents. Meanwhile, Long Island municipalities permitted only 2.3 multifamily units per 1,000 residents, “falling woefully short of the demand among young professionals and young families…Long Island lacks a diversity of housing that can attract and retain a younger and more diverse population. Long Island’s ‘brain drain’ and aging population do not bode well for its future,” the application noted.

While Long Island had over 8,300 acres of vacant land and parking lots as of 2010 – enough to accommodate 90,000 low-density units before counting higher density – the $10 million grant would be applied to incentivize development of 50,000 housing units. The idea is to provide local municipalities the opportunity to create “shovel ready” sites that would attract private and institutional investment that results in new housing production.

The LIREDC specified developments must be a minimum of three acres or 50 housing units for projects near transit or downtowns, multifamily housing and have a mix of uses. Preference will also be given to those who propose creating more affordable housing and supporting populations that have been historically marginalized or disadvantaged. Municipalities that accept funds must commit to an expedited approvals process.

In concert with housing development, the LIREDC recognizes the region also must invest in critical infrastructure. Transportation challenges on Long Island include aging systems, growing congestion on roads, limited public transit, environmental vulnerability, and the need for improved traffic safety. While there have been significant upgrades to the LIRR system, there is still a lack of north-south connectivity without adequate bus routes, which restricts residents’ access to economic opportunity, particularly individuals who rely on public transit.

Much of Long Island is still using septic systems, particularly in Suffolk County, which constrains the ability to develop denser housing. “Furthermore, a high-quality public realm is important for attracting talent. People are attracted to places that offer not only job opportunities but also a social life and a strong sense of belonging.”

There are many public sector leaders on Long Island who are eager to address the housing crisis, the LIREDC asserted.

What is needed is for those leaders to show vision and leadership.

(See: https://regionalcouncils.ny.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/LIREDC_Strategic_Plan_2023.pdf)