LI Officials Oppose Latest Hochul Mass-Housing Scheme

By Niall Fitzgerald

Long Island officials came out in strength Monday to protest Gov Kathy Hochul's (D-Buffalo) latest scheme to force over 1,100 huge, high-density, multi-unit apartment buildings on Long Island. 

The elected officials and school board members - led by Oyster Bay Supervisor Joe Saladino; North Hempstead Supervisor Jen DeSena; and Hempstead Supervisor Don Clavin - gathered outside the old Herricks High School, and slammed Hochul's latest scheme.

The latest Hochul program is to mass-construct subsidized housing on Long Island, to house the over 300,0000 illegal migrants now being sheltered in New York. She proposes to do that by giving "faith-based" and "NGO" organizations a waiver from local zoning, building department and environmental compliance.  To rapidly build huge barracks-style apartment blocks.

"This proposal would strip local communities of zoning control over their neighborhoods," stated NYS Senator Jack Martins (R-Old Westbury). "There would be no study of the environmental impact; no provision for sewer hook ups; and no study on how it would impact the schools."

Former Bayville Mayor Bob DeNatale came out for the rally to defend local zoning and environmental protections against the Governor's schemes.

"Albany lawmakers are pushing plans that override local zoning laws that were put into law decades ago to protect the health, safety and character of local communities," stated the Supervisors. "The 'Faith-based Affordable Housing Act' would grant 1,100 properties instant eligibility to develop their property into high-density five-story apartment buildings.

Hochul is angry at Long Island for supporting her opponent, former Congressman Lee Zeldin, in the very close 2022 election. She wants to force predominantly Democratic apartment dwellers and illegal migrants onto Long Island as a form of "social dumping" to punish Long Islanders for their recent election votes. 

Hochul's pivot to give unlimited building authority to "faith-based" and "NGO" organizations is a way for her to outsource the planning - and huge profits - to those organizations which are allied to her.

Martins promised to fight the Hochul proposals in Albany, but Democrats hold a 2:1 advantage in both houses of the state Legislature.