Last week, The Grove Apartments in East Patchogue held its ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially opening the $33 million, 55-unit residential development that replaced vacant land in the town.
The project is significant because it is not a standard market-rate apartment complex, but an affordable housing development designed to serve working families. The apartments range from one- to three-bedroom units, with rents scaled to residents’ incomes rather than set at a fixed market rate.
The complex comprises three garden-style apartment buildings and offers a variety of amenities for residents. These include a fully equipped fitness center, a children’s playroom, shared community spaces, and additional kitchen facilities available to residents throughout The Grove Apartments.
Under the program, rental prices at The Grove Apartments vary based on the resident’s income. Eligible tenants must earn up to 90% of the Area Median Income (AMI), ensuring the apartments remain accessible to working individuals and families. In addition, 17 units within the complex are designated for residents who receive on-site supportive services, including financial literacy and career development assistance.
Projects like this can be a lifeline for families struggling to find affordable housing on Long Island, a challenge faced by many households. Developments like The Grove Apartments provide residents with the opportunity to secure stable housing, support their families, and take pride in having a place to call home.
“The Grove Apartments in East Patchogue is a prime example of what workforce housing projects should look like,” New York Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) told The Messenger, “The apartments are beautiful, spacious, and best of all, truly affordable. Projects like this one bring exciting new amenities and opportunities to our community, strengthening our neighborhoods, enhancing our quality of life, and helping to ensure that our next generation can stay on Long Island and in New York State.”
These apartments are not only affordable but also designed with residents in mind. The apartments are within walking distance of East Patchogue’s downtown area and feature a brand-new, 1,000-square-foot coffee shop located directly within the development.
The Grove Apartments are part of Governor Kathy Hochul’s (D-Hamburg) $25 billion, five-year Housing Plan, which is aimed at creating or preserving 100,000 affordable homes across New York State.
State funding for the apartments comes from several sources. New York State Homes and Community Renewal provided funding through federal and state Low Income Housing Tax Credit programs, generating about $21.1 million to help build the project, along with an additional $2.4 million from the state’s Housing Trust Fund. Suffolk County also contributed $1.8 million through loans to support land acquisition and infrastructure. Funding for the supportive housing units is provided through the Empire State Supportive Housing Initiative, which is administered by the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Services.
In a public statement, Town of Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico (R-Center Moriches) said, “The lynchpin of any successful redevelopment is its design. In the town of Brookhaven, we have insisted on high-quality, detailed designs for redevelopments like this that uplift and add to communities. I credit all those involved for churning out a great product and thank NYS for their support. I cannot underscore the value and necessity of having proper infrastructure in place to enable such redevelopment to occur. The redevelopment that is occurring along the Montauk Highway corridor in East Patchogue is coupled with amazingly successful preservation efforts to create a strong economic and environmental balance for our residents. I commend Councilman Neil Foley (R-Blue Point) on his work to see this revitalization through fruition and former Councilman Tim Mazzei (R) for having the foresight to lay the sewer line infrastructure decades ago—a man of great vision and foresight.”
