Huntington should move forward on its housing plan

Huntington Town board members took the right steps when they moved to expand the town's accessory dwelling unit rules, which govern apartments in single-family homes.

They took the right steps when they involved first responders in their planning, when they developed a "saturation clause" to limit the number of ADUs in an area, and when they distributed fact sheets to correct a misinformation campaign against the units.

And they took the right steps when they held a public hearing, as required, Tuesday night — even with the extreme backlash.

Now, they have to continue to take the right steps — and move the ADU effort forward.

The town board's proposed change would legalize apartments in basements and detached structures like garages. The thoughtful proposal from town board members Joan Cergol and Dave Bennardo, initially supported by Sal Ferro and Gene Cook, is an important piece of the larger effort needed to increase housing options, particularly for young adults and seniors. Cergol, Bennardo, Ferro and Cook should not waver. Angry residents who speak the loudest often don't represent the majority. Support for more housing, smartly designed to fit individual communities' needs, is overwhelming. 

It's understandable that Huntington residents worry about their homes, property values, schools and neighborhoods and that homeowners might find change unsettling. But this isn't really a change at all. From 1991 until 2019, basement apartments in Huntington were legal. Why the sudden vitriolic pushback? What's more, many of these apartments exist now — just illegally.

The ugly comments with racist and homophobic overtones seemed out of place in one of the Island's most vibrant and diverse areas. Some   talked of Huntington turning into Brownsville or the Bronx or "a shantyville." Some claimed tenants would be migrants or "undesirables" or "pedophiles," a reference oft-used by those who wrongly suggest the LGBTQ+ community is "grooming" children. Some spoke of "changing the complexion of this beautiful community."

Town officials should do more to inform residents and answer questions, beyond a public hearing's constraints. They should note that an expanded ADU program won't decrease home values; if anything, such properties may increase in value. It won't add an ADU to every house; the legislation permits units in 10% of homes within a half-mile radius of any given point. It won't add crime and chaos, or house pedophiles. It won't eliminate single-family zoning.

Instead, this modest change will provide additional housing — likely more affordable and certainly more attainable for those who'd like to join this "beautiful community." New Census Bureau data shows that 47% of renters here spend 35% or more of their income on housing. The need for more housing is Long Island's biggest challenge. The response shouldn't be, as one resident Tuesday said, "You may not be able to live in Huntington. Oh well."

A welcoming community like Huntington can do better. This proposal is one more right step.