Amidst all the noise surrounding COVID mandates, violent crime, and economic strife, Governor Hochul quietly declared war on the suburbs. In her Executive Budget proposal, the Governor included language which will mandate every local government in New York State to permit at least one accessory dwelling unit (ADU) per residential lot. It’s a radical proposal designed to eliminate single family housing, and it will destroy suburban living on Long Island as we know it.
Look around your neighborhood and consider that every house you see will now be a potential multi-family home. Think of the influx of population and vehicles, resulting in more crowded spaces and more vehicles on our current strained roads. Is that the future you’d like for our suburban communities? Because that is Governor Hochul’s vision.
Defenders of the Governor’s proposal say that this is no big deal, since no one will be forced to add an ADU to their property. While it’s true that the addition of an ADU will remain a choice for property owners, the market will tilt in favor of buyers seeking to upzone residential properties. Deep-pocketed developers and investors will continually outbid single-family buyers, knowing that they can account for at least two rental incomes from each property. Over time, our communities will shift from single-family housing to multi-family, and quite possibly from owner occupied to tenant occupied.
With this shift away from single-family housing will come a monumental increase in population density. More people will be packed onto our slender island with more vehicles added to our comically congested roads. Student-to-teacher ratios will inevitably increase, and our beaches and recreational spaces will become crowded. These are serious logistical and quality of life issues, but there is one major consideration that can’t be left out – what do we do about wastewater?
To the surprise of many, much of Long Island lacks sewers. In fact, roughly 75% of Suffolk County homes are not connected to sewers, but use cesspools and antiquated septic systems. As a result, nitrogenous waste seeps into our groundwater and the Great South Bay. Nitrogen pollution causes massive algal blooms in the Bay, threatening the entire ecosystem. The problem stems from a population explosion over the past 50 years – the Island was not sustainably developed to handle the exponential population growth. Governor Hochul’s proposal will only exacerbate the issue, making it an environmental nightmare.
New York currently leaves zoning up to local municipalities, like most states. Recently, California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts have passed laws to preempt local governments in order to drive up population density in suburban communities. Governor Hochul is looking to throw home rule aside and do the same. However, she isn’t the first Democrat to take aim at the suburbs. In December 2021, a State Senator from Manhattan introduced a bill designed to vastly increase population density in cities, villages, and towns throughout our state. While it’s not surprising that a Manhattan progressive wants to recreate the entire state in the City’s image, it is strange that Governor Hochul decided to take up this mantle as she runs for re-election. Her position shows pure contempt for those of us who enjoy living in the suburbs – voters should take notice.
