Huntington group seeks affordable housing

Huntington Station last year buzzed with debate over the need for new housing, the crime rate and the growing Hispanic population. Four men watched from afar as the discussion grew.

"Who were these people who said they spoke for Huntington Station?" said Bazeel Walters of Huntington. "I had not met them. They certainly were not speaking for the minority community that I knew."

At the same time Fermin Trejo, of Iglesia Luz de Salvacion in Huntington Station, wondered what he could do to become a more powerful voice for his community and that of African-Americans.

"There is nobody in Town Hall that can represent both communities," he said through a translator. "So a coalition to take that title is very important. People in Town Hall need us because we are a very important piece in the big puzzle."

The pair were brought together with Huntington Station resident Al White and Norris Porter, founder of Christian Charities Deliverance Church in Huntington, who were working together to improve parks in Huntington Station. The four men formed the Porter-Trejo Action Network.

Their mission: to bring more affordable housing to Huntington Station.

"Housing is the most basic need," said White, a Huntington school district employee. "Especially affordable housing. When there is none, people end up living in illegal and substandard conditions."

Dick Koubek, president of the Huntington Township Housing Coalition, and an outspoken affordable housing advocate, said he welcomes another voice in the debate.

"I'm looking forward to working with them," Koubek said.

Town Supervisor Frank Petrone challenged the claim that Town Hall isn't listening or working with the Huntington Station community.

"Huntington Station is one of our main priorities," he said. "We work continuously with all groups in the Station."

Porter-Trejo's founders say their first priority is a six-month moratorium on fines so residents who have illegal accessory apartments can bring them up to code. They also want the town to relax its front-yard requirement for dwellings with an accessory apartment during that time. Walters acknowledges he is trying to legalize an accessory apartment in Huntington Station and would benefit from a moratorium.

"I want to make the house legal," Walters said. "People get involved in certain things because of something that impacts them, like Mothers Against Drunk Driving."

Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone, the presumed Democratic front-runner for Suffolk County executive, is scheduled to speak at Porter-Trejo's State of Our Community event Wednesday.

"We think he can tell us a thing or two about what has been done in Wyandanch that we can do here in Huntington Station," Porter said.

Porter-Trejo Action Network:

Goals:

Work toward helping property owners legalize accessory apartments

Include more minority voices in the debate over affordable housing

Help Huntington Station attract more businesses and jobs

Will meet with Babylon Supervisor Steve Bellone, the presumed Democratic front-runner for Suffolk County executive, at Iglesia Luz de Salvacion in Huntington Station at 7 p.m. Wednesday