This time, Huntington votes for the future

I was shocked by the rhetoric and vitriol spewed against my Huntington neighbors during a June 2023 Huntington Town board meeting regarding the expansion of accessory dwelling unit apartments. It truly made me question whether our town would be capable of making any progress on the issue of affordable housing.

I wondered whether we would be able to ensure residents — old and young, those who grew up in our town and those looking to raise young families here — that they would be able to find an affordable place to live.

Though the ADU expansion would have helped existing homeowners mitigate the costs of homeownership and provide a place to live for many, the Huntington Town board voted no on the proposal.

Fast forward more than a year. NIMBYs and the Loud Minority tried to hijack another sound and reasonable solution to the housing crisis — Melville Town Center, a proposal to build modest housing and a vibrant, walkable downtown center in an underutilized office park with empty parking lots — that also will spur economic growth.

This time, support for the proposal came from all over the township, and after a compromise was reached on lowering the number of units created, the town board did the right thing and voted to pass the legislation on Dec. 10 by a 3-1 margin.

This was a surprise for a town that took nearly a half-century to start work on the Matinecock Court affordable housing development in East Northport. But the town board understood the dire need for housing and the economic consequences of not moving forward with Melville Town Center. Those who are in need of housing can celebrate this win.

Young people from all walks of life, seniors of both political parties, and families of different backgrounds who are experiencing the housing crisis in Huntington can now look forward to affordable housing being built — this after years of reasonable housing projects being voted down or pulled from the town or zoning board agenda because the well-housed and well-to-do few didn't want more housing for our less-well-off neighbors.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of a Long Island trend of passing common sense solutions that kick-start the economy and give young professionals, working families, and seniors looking to downsize an opportunity to live in the townships in which they grew up.

This guest essay reflects the views of Hunter Gross, vice president of the Huntington Township Housing Coalition.