The League of Women Voters of The Hamptons believes that in order to meet the current and future housing needs of all citizens, regardless of economic circumstances, there should be a diversity of affordable housing opportunities and types (ownership, rentals, single and multiple dwellings). As much as possible, they should be located in proximity to places of employment, transportation, recreation and commercial development, thereby broadening access to the job market and community facilities.

The LWVH supports mixed use development of main streets, historic districts, downtowns, and restored brownfields (areas that have been contaminated by previous use or toxic waste), and supports limiting the location of land development to areas where the infrastructure and public services are adequate and in place.

The LWVH encourages revising the process of obtaining a permit to make it predictable, certain, efficient and final, and supports the creation of flexible codes and ordinances to encourage mixed housing types, sizes and price ranges.

The LWVH encourages the Towns and Villages to coordinate with Suffolk County when making decisions relative to infrastructure, taxes and incentives for economic development, public transportation and location of facilities. Collaborative community-based planning for long-term land use is essential.

The LWVH supports initiatives that would encourage affordable homes through acquisition of previously developed sites for the purpose of re-development, and the sale or transfer of county-owned tax-defaulted properties to Towns and Villages for the purpose of affordable housing.

Affordable housing adds to the diverse character of a community and statistics show that areas, in which it is built, will maintain or increase their property values.

Affordable housing is built in accordance with the same building codes and standards as any other house that is constructed and is of equal quality. Many of these homes being constructed in East Hampton and Southampton Towns have an "Energy Star" * designation.

Affordable housing allows local people to stay in their communities by finding housing they can afford. Even when government provides such housing, preference is given to local people in a lottery system.

Affordable housing does not necessarily add children to the school population, nor add to the school tax burden. Statistics show that apartment living &/or townhouse living adds few children to local schools and are tax positive to local school districts.

Affordable housing does not always increase density*. For example, if zoning* permits 10 houses to be built on 5 acres, but those building rights were transferred* to just one of those acres for 10 townhouses, the density would be the same as if they had not been transferred. The difference would be that the community would now have 4 acres of open space.

Affordable housing must be built in compliance with the regulations of the Suffolk County Health Department relative to water flow and sewage; therefore, there is no difference between affordable housing and market-rate housing in that regard.

Affordable housing does not impact traffic when it is located in areas close to employment and transportation.

A single person household earning less than $49,750 a year could be a starting teacher, a health aide, or a medical assistant.

A four-person household with income less than $71,100 a year could be a two-income family consisting of a bank loan officer and a librarian, or a one-income family consisting of a computer software engineer or a beginning physician’s assistant.

A single person household earning less than $74,600 could include a nursing instructor or a SUNY beginning professor.

A four-person household with income under $106,600 could be a two-income family consisting of an electrician and a law clerk, or a one-income family consisting of an air traffic controller.

This pamphlet was written by Barbara H. Jordan, LWVH Housing Committee Chair, with information from The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); Thomas Ruhle, Director, East Hampton Town Housing Department; Diana Weir, VP of the Long Island Housing Partnership; The League of Women Voters of the Hamptons Housing Committee; Newsday; Peconic Community Council; Jim Morgo, Chair, Suffolk County Department of Economic Development and Workforce Housing; Walter J. Hilbert, Chief Engineer, Suffolk County Department of Health; Marion Zucker, Director, Suffolk County Housing Department; The Rauch Foundation; John White, Director, The Town of Southampton Housing Department; U.S. Census Bureau; and the assistance of Maura Lester, Editor of the Voter, and Mary E. Voisey, Southampton Town Housing Department.

Layout Design by Dean F. Kirschner

Printed by Madison Copy and Blueprint Center, Hampton Bays, N.Y. 11946