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On July 12th, The New York Times editorialized that the new HUD regulations are a major step toward closing loopholes used by local municipalities to avoid compliance with the federal Fair Housing Act.  We are hopeful that progress can finally be made toward creating ore racially, ethnically and income diverse communities in Huntington.  Many studies have shown that diversity benefits the entire community – especially children, regardless of their social class or race. You can read the editorial here: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/opinion/the-end-of-federally-financed-ghettos.html  

The US Department of Housing and Urban Affairs (HUD) announced on July 8th  that it is establishing tighter reporting regulations which will mandate that local governments  overcome barriers to integrated, diverse  and affordable housing. The new regulations will require more detailed information on how the local government is addressing impediments to fair housing, as well as greater transparency in the public’s ability to access this data and, finally, a greater willingness on the part of HUD to withhold federal funds such as the Community Development Block Grants (CCBG) when local governments fail to meet the new requirements.  Under current HUD regulations, local governments must file a detailed CCBG report every five years to receive funding, with details on what plans are in place to create affordable housing and overcome the impediments to fair housing identified by the local government in its HUD report.  HTHC filed a statement with the Town of Huntington in October 2014, as part of the five-year HUD/CCBG reporting requirement, in which we detailed how the Town of Huntington has fallen far short on its plans for creating affordable housing. You can read our report below on this News and Events page as it was posted on October 23, 2014.  Unfortunately, these five year CCBG reports to HUD have had minimal if any  impact over the years, with little of no substantive follow-through by HUD to insure that local government’s adhere to their own CCBG plans.  Rarely if ever are CCBG funds withheld by HUD. While the new regulations are a sign of hope that Huntington will actually be required to fulfill its fair housing obligations, due to the often ferocious local opposition to compliance as we saw at Ruland Road, HTHC remains watchful on this issue.  You can read Newsday‘s  July 9th coverage of the new regulations.

Mike DeLouise, long-time President of the Melville Chamber of Commerce and a frequent partner with Huntington Township Housing Coalition, bid a hauntingly beautiful farewell to LI in a June edition of the Long Island Business News.  Mike is retiring off the Island.  His farewell, however, contains an urgent warning that if LI does not provide more affordable housing options, our future is in peril.  His warning needs to be taken seriously, very seriously.  Read the entire piece at this website

On June 18th, Joan Penrose Borum spoke for HTHC at the Long Island  hearing of the NYS Fast Food Workers’ Wage Board, supporting Governor Cuomo’s recommendation that fast food workers receive a $15 an hour minimum wage increase. Her testimony pointed out that at the current minimum wage of $8.75 an hour, fast food workers cannot find affordable rental housing.  Since most are adults with family obligations, these workers need to earn enough to pay their rent.  Even at $15 an hour, this is  a struggle.  The Coalition hopes that the Wage Board will rule favorably on this proposal at the end of July and that their decision will prompt an across-the-board minimum wage crease when the NYS Legislature reconvenes in January, 2016. Read our testimony: HTHC Wage Board testimonyHTHC Wage Board testimony

At its third meeting, the “Zombie Homes” consortium created by the Town Board just two months ago is closing in on a possible purchase of an abandoned and foreclosed home that can be rehabbed into an affordable home for first-time homebuyers. .  HTHC serves on this consortium, along with Councilwomen Tracey Edwards and Susan Berland, representatives of the LI Housing Partnership, the Community Development Corporation of LI, the Huntington Community Development Corporation, Housing Help and others.  The LI Housing Partnership is taking the lead in this project.  We hope this will be a prototype for other abandoned/foreclosed homes in Huntington becoming rehabilitated, affordable homes. For more information go to this website

HTHC writes letter to town board to support Councilwoman Tracey Edwards resolution to examine and provide recommendations to advance rehabilitation of deteriorated homes in the Town of Huntington. Download letter here!

The following letter was sent from Roger Weaving, HTHC steering committee member to Newsday in response to the letter that claimed there is no hard data suggesting that young people are leaving Long Island due to the lack of affordable housing. Download the article here.

Response to Newsday’s January 2, 2015 editorial “Finally we’re on the move” Downlaod the article here!

Download the article here.

Long Islander Affordable Housing Shortfall an Economic Hurdle The Huntington Township Housing Coalition….says that a failure to address an ongoing gap in housing is putting a drag on the region’s economy. Download the article here.