32 homes with accessory apartments planned for North Bellport

A Hauppauge nonprofit will build 32 houses in North Bellport, each with an attached one-bedroom accessory apartment, as part of a plan aimed at providing affordable housing for first-time homebuyers and revitalizing the economically downtrodden hamlet, Brookhaven Town officials announced. 

The Long Island Housing Partnership will build the houses on vacant land on Ecke Avenue, in the heart of a downtown area that has been the focus of a yearslong effort by Brookhaven officials and North Bellport civic groups to bring in new homes and businesses, including banks, shops and a grocery store.

Gov. Kathy Hochul in January announced the town had won a $4.5 million state grant to boost affordable housing in the hamlet and attract grocery stores and restaurants.

Construction of the new houses is expected to start in fall 2025 and be completed about two years later, town officials said.

The site totals 7.3 acres and each house will sit on slightly under a quarter-acre. The houses will be about 1,300 square feet, plus a 300-square-foot garage, and the attached apartments will be 600 square feet.

Brookhaven announced the project Friday after the partnership finished acquiring multiple parcels for the development. The properties previously were owned by Brookhaven, Suffolk County and private owners, said Peter Elkowitz, the partnership’s president and CEO. 

Elkowitz said a key to the project was an agreement reached with Levittown developer D&F Development Group to connect the homes to a sewer system that will be used for an apartment complex D&F plans to build on nearby Atlantic Avenue. 

Joann Neal, co-chair of the Greater Bellport Coalition, a civic group, said the new houses will be a welcome addition to the community, which in recent years has seen the addition of a doughnut shop and a Boys & Girls Club.

“The community already looks a whole lot better," Neal said. "I’ve been here 32 years. The community has had its ups and downs, but this is the best time."

The partnership houses are expected to fill a glaring need for affordable homes in North Bellport, officials said.

The median price of a single-family home in the unincorporated section of Bellport, including North Bellport, was $495,000 during the 12 months ending in June. That was a 12.5% increase from $440,000 during the previous 12-month stretch, according to OneKey MLS data.

"The discussion regarding affordable housing usually centers around apartment complexes," Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico said Tuesday. "Here we are going to create truly affordable housing that is developed as single-family homes, which is somewhat of a novelty these days on Long Island."

The town in 2019 had condemned 10 parcels to help pave the way for the project.

Elkowitz said prices for the new houses will be determined by construction costs after the partnership receives bids from builders to build the houses and roads in the community. 

To qualify for houses, applicants will have to earn no more than 80% of area median income, which is $87,500 for an individual and $124,950 for a family of four, partnership officials said. Those amounts change annually and vary based on household size. Applications are not yet open but those who are interested can check lihp.org to monitor the process and search for other housing opportunities, officials said.

Median household incomes in North Bellport were $89,026 in 2018-22 compared with $122,498 countywide, according to U.S. Census data.

The accessory apartments will help homeowners offset their costs, Elkowitz said. The partnership will set rents, but the owners will be responsible for maintaining the units and will receive training on managing the property, he said.

“It’s an opportunity to keep people in the community, to bring in homeownership, and rentals, so there's affordability on both ends,” Elkowitz said.