Huntington seeks more vets to apply to purchase affordable condos
More veterans are being encouraged to apply to live at the Columbia Terrace condo complex west of Lowndes Avenue in Huntington Station. The development has eight two-bedroom/two-bath units and six one-bedroom/one bath units priced at $253,250 and $233,250, respectively. Credit: Barry Sloan
Some veterans will finally be able to call a 14-unit affordable housing complex in Huntington Station home.
Town officials said five of the condominium units in the Columbia Terrace development are in contract to be sold. There are eight units with buyers — three of whom are veterans — in various stages of the approval and purchase process.
“I’m thankful we have been able to offer Long Island Veterans the opportunity to own an affordable home,” Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth wrote in an email last week. “Columbia Terrace has been a long journey, but the end result made it a worthy venture.”
The $3.3 million project on the west side of Lowndes Avenue, between Railroad and Columbia streets, began in 2009. It was funded by federal, state, county and town money.
Candidates for the homes were selected from a lottery list, which was also open to nonveterans. One veteran is in contract to buy, town officials said.
The development has eight two-bedroom/two-bath units and six one-bedroom/one bath units. The larger units have a sales price of $253,250, and the one-bedroom condos are priced at $233,250, according to town documents.
Huntington officials said that due to increasing costs, modifications to the site plan were required, including eliminating a gazebo that was in the original plan.
Because of changes to the site plan, an amended offering plan has to be sent to the state attorney general’s office for approval. Once it is given, officials will determine when buyers can move in.
Town officials are seeking new applicants for the remaining units. They said they didn’t receive the “typical volume of entries” in the original lottery, so they have renewed outreach efforts this year with the veteran community.
Bob Santo, past commander of the American Legion Greenlawn Post 1244, said he is concerned that more veterans, especially younger ones, are not taking advantage of the opportunity.
“We need to find out what is standing in the way,” he said. “Is it financial? Do they [the units] cost too much?”
All applicants must meet first-time homebuyer and federal Housing and Urban Development income criteria.
For more information and how to apply, go to https://huntingtonny.gov/columbia-terrace.
'No one wants to pay more taxes than they need to' Nearly 20,000 Long Islanders work in town and city government. A Newsday investigation found a growing number of them are making more than $200,000 a year. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.
'No one wants to pay more taxes than they need to' Nearly 20,000 Long Islanders work in town and city government. A Newsday investigation found a growing number of them are making more than $200,000 a year. NewsdayTV's Andrew Ehinger reports.
