Day pledges to fight faith-based affordable housing plan

Rockland County Executive Ed Day says the county will keep all of its options open to stop “in its tracks” a new law that has been proposed in Albany that would give faith-based institutions the right to develop affordable housing on their land even if such a development would violate local zoning laws.

A bill authored by State Sen. Andrew Gounardes of the 26th State Senate District in Brooklyn currently is in committee. It would allow churches, synagogues and other religious institutions to bypass local zoning and build residential housing projects on their land. The bill requires that in communities with populations of less than one million 20% of the units must be set aside for people earning no more than 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI).

In communities with a population greater than one million, requirements are a bit more complex. The bill has varied affordability requirements including that 25% of a building’s floor area must be reserved for households earning 60% of the AMI with at least 5% of the units priced to be affordable to households earning 40% of the AMI.

“It would be refreshing to see support of existing local laws rather than constant assaults such as this,” Day said. “It is abundantly clear that Albany’s one-size-fits-all approach does not work. Local municipalities understand the needs of their current and future residents best and are perfectly capable of creating the conditions that support appropriate housing opportunities.”

Day said that his administration will continue to support the towns and villages that are working to improve their local housing stock.

“I believe this proposal to be contradictory of the Constitution of New York state and will continue to stand firmly in opposition to any politically-based plan that undermines New York State Home Rule regulations and municipal zoning ordinances,” Day said.