Republic Airport housing plan, chickens and waste, gun thefts, road accident, Trump gag order

Novel Republic idea aids housing woes

We commend Gov. Kathy Hochul for fulfilling her promise to create more affordable housing in New York State [“Seize chance for Republic housing,” Editorial, May 8].

The governor’s plan to transform a state-owned site in East Farmingdale into a mixed-use residential development is an innovative response to a statewide housing crisis where available options fall woefully short of meeting demand.

What better way to repurpose an underutilized parcel than to create a vibrant community for our families and neighbors? This project offers opportunities for critically needed mixed-income housing, economic growth, jobs and open space. It also is a prime example of government entities, developers and community organizations coming together to produce tangible solutions.

The Long Island Board of Realtors has long been a vocal advocate for affordable and fair housing for all. We work at the local and state levels to promote regulations and laws that strengthen these initiatives, and we support measures to remove any barriers that would impede the ability to increase the supply of affordable housing.

We look forward to collaborating with our colleagues, elected officials and community leaders to foster innovative and sustainable solutions for affordable housing.

— Doreen Spagnuolo, Massapequa

The writer is CEO of the Long Island Board of Realtors.

Clever way to help LI’s waste problem

Kudos to Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico and the town board for thinking outside the box as they consider changing a town law to accommodate more chickens on residential properties [“Tough egg to crack,” Our Towns, April 30].

With a voracious appetite for food scraps, which would otherwise end up in Long Island’s waste stream, a mere 24 chickens are touted to make a ton of organics disappear annually. We suggest that these feathered waste managers can provide just one answer to our impending regional waste crisis.

The “we” is a consortium, Taking a Lead on Zero Waste, comprising Long Island municipal waste managers, agency officials, environmental activists and industry professionals. Although it has diverse views, the group agrees that there is no one-remedy-fits-all for reducing Long Island waste.

Instead, the consortium believes that every little bit helps — even chickens. Chickens might work for parts of Brookhaven with its rural areas but not for Nassau County.

As we search for solutions, it becomes crucial to gather multiple tools for our garbage-reduction chest and embrace — or at least explore — the possible and the curative from a handful of brave officials.

— Karen Blumer, Aquebogue

The writer is co-convener of Taking a Lead on Zero Waste.

Blame gun control laws for stolen arms

Certain gun control laws are to blame for so many guns being stolen from cars [“Report: Guns are stolen from cars at record rate,” State & Nation, May 10]. In locations where law-abiding gun owners are prohibited by law from carrying their firearms, they are forced to leave their firearm in their vehicle, providing a greater opportunity for theft.

A sensible way to mitigate this problem is to lift restrictions on where lawfully owned firearms can be carried. If a lawful gun owner can freely carry his firearm, he will no longer be forced to leave the firearm in his car.

Laws prohibiting where firearms can be carried are senseless and only impact law-abiding gun owners. Does anyone really think that a person with bad intentions and carrying a gun will heed to such a prohibition? “Gun-free” locations only guarantee that the good guy is unarmed, not the criminal.

— Vincent J. Cristiano, Ronkonkoma

Nothing funny about a driving accident

I was astonished to read that an Expressway writer recalled his youthful “misadventure” as a “crazy night” [“In 1960, when my world turned upside down,” Opinion, May 12].

Most people likely would see this as a potentially tragic crash that could have killed him, his date and possibly others after he had been drinking too much. What about this disturbing situation is comical?

— Sherry Eckstein, Huntington

Gag order? Give him home confinement

Despite former President Donald Trump violating State Supreme Court Justice Juan M. Merchan’s gag orders, his being sent to jail hasn’t really seemed plausible [“Cohen gives details on his ties to Trump,” News, May 15]. Why hasn’t he been given home confinement with all his electronics confiscated? Visitors besides his lawyers should be banned. This might truly have an impact.

— Ruth Fox, Roslyn Heights