Counties appeal to state for affordable housing help

Officials announced a new program Wednesday aimed at combating one of the Island?s biggest problems ? the lack of affordable housing. Officials from Nassau, Suffolk and five other New York counties are

News 12 Staff

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Nov 28, 2007, 11:29 PM

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Updated 6,324 days ago

Officials announced a new program Wednesday aimed at combating one of the Island?s biggest problems ? the lack of affordable housing.

Officials from Nassau, Suffolk and five other New York counties are asking the state for millions of dollars for items like roads and schools to support affordable housing.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy says the county spends millions of dollars on the problem, but can?t tackle it alone. He is confident in the new solution.

?This is probably the biggest step forward on the state level, for the building of next-generation housing that we've seen in decades,? Levy says.

The question of whether the state will pay remains. Dowling College economist Marty Cantor thinks it will be difficult because Gov. Eliot Spitzer has already ruled out adding new programs.

County officials and supporters of the plan say it is just one piece of the puzzle. They say it will still be hard to find affordable housing on Long Island, even if the plan goes through.

Supporters like Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan say other solutions are needed, but the announced plan might be a useful tool.

Levy says the counties are banding together to lobby state lawmakers and win their support.