Editorial: When leaders lead, there’s cause for applause

“Government isn’t the solution to the problem, government is the problem.”

So said President Ronald Reagan, a man who could always break serious issues down to a pithy phrase that resonated far beyond his lifetime. But like all pronunciamientos that take on the clothing of absolutes, sometimes the truth is obscured by fancy dressing. Many times, Mr. Reagan’s maxim is true, but just as often, it’s not. Consider the question: How many Libertarians does it take to screw in a light bulb? And the answer: Impossible to say, since due to a lack of building regulations, they keep dying from electrocutions.

Government solutions and creating affordable housing have met recently. Many elected officials from the East End are rightfully terming the issue “a crisis” — and it’s not just here. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 69% of Americans said they were “very concerned” about the cost of housing, up from 61% in April 2023.

We were cheered by a July 9 panel organized by the Long Island Association, where Southold Supervisor Al Krupski, Riverhead Supervisor Tim Hubbard, Shelter Island Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams, Southampton Supervisor Maria Moore and East Hampton Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez all agreed that affordable housing is an issue that needs a solution and they were willing to roll up their sleeves to get something done.

On this issue, a majority of voters believe government can be a powerful source for answers. The Community Housing Fund, designed to support affordable housing plans, was established by East End voters in November 2022 under the Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Fund Act. The fund is supported by a 0.5% real estate transfer tax paid by the purchaser. Suffolk County began collecting funds in April 2023.

Last month, the Southold Town Board unanimously adopted a priority-driven “subsidy framework” and “implementation plan” for its Community Housing Plan. As Times Review staffer Nicole Wagner reported, “Its described intent is to increase access and opportunities to fund housing projects in Southold Town and Greenport Village. The Village Board would be able to opt into the adopted framework and implementation plan through a resolution.”

The Community Housing Plan’s purposes include providing financial assistance to first-time home buyers who are Southold Town residents with a grant or loan; increasing community housing inventory; rehabilitating existing buildings for housing use; compiling interest in real property in existing housing units; and providing housing counseling services from nonprofits authorized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In Riverhead, as reported by Times Review staffer Ana Borruto, “Revisions to a particular Riverhead Town zoning code could authorize more essential affordable housing projects in the area, and specifically help get the decades-long proposal for Riverhead First Baptist Church’s community center off the ground.”

A proposal to change the town’s Community Benefit Zoning Use District received overwhelming support from residents at a recent Town Board meeting, with many in the audience — and Town Board officials — who have wanted to see the Family Community Life Center come to fruition since it was first proposed in 1988.

And Shelter Island has weathered a storm, where not so long ago, comments at public meetings public were heard such as, “If you can’t afford to live here, you can’t live here,” to a more sane sense of community, with energetic committee members and leaders working for grants and convincing residents that affordable housing benefits everyone all residents.

Solutions that eliminate problems in communities should be applauded, no matter where they come from.