LI's housing crisis, LIRR waiting rooms and the filibuster
The lack of housing on Long Island is a result of New York's antiquated zoning statutes, a reader writes. Credit: Bloomberg / Luke Sharrett
Local zoning is why LI has housing crisis
Long Island has a chronic problem of insufficient housing ["Supply of LI homes for sale hits low," News, Jan. 15]. The major reason for this crisis is New York’s antiquated zoning statutes, which give zoning authority to the towns and villages. Local zoning is acknowledged by highly regarded studies to be the most significant attributable factor constraining the supply of housing. It makes housing unaffordable in states with local zoning such as ours. If New York empowered counties to override town and village zoning when approving regionally significant development, Long Island’s real estate market would improve substantially. Regional zoning produces more plentiful quality housing at competitive prices.
Clifford Sondock, Melville
The writer is president of the Land Use Institute.
Don't keep commuters freezing outside
At $353 a month for a Long Island Rail Road ticket, these waiting areas should be open 18 hours per day, especially during rush hour ["Waiting it out: LIRR commuters left in the cold," News, Jan. 17]. I cannot tell you how many times during freezing weather the Copiague and Lindenhurst waiting rooms were locked tight. Pathetic. What is the lame excuse for locking them? They don't want homeless people sitting there? God forbid a homeless person sits there during 15-degree weather or a snowstorm.
If they don't want homeless folks in there, then they should hire security guards to ensure that this doesn't happen. The LIRR has the money. The last thing it should do is lock the doors.
Ben Milano, Lindenhurst
Filibuster obstructs constitutional rights
As long as U.S. senators promote anti-democratic rhetoric under the guise of upholding the Constitution, the filibuster will continue to be an obstructive force for both parties to suppress the same constitutional rights they claim to protect ["MLK cited in voting reform," News, Jan. 17].
If Americans are so uneducated in the framers’ intent of majority rule, those same senators will feel justified in maintaining the status quo.
Michael Zisner, Bethpage
