Action on affordable housing coming together

It has been a year since the Community Housing Board  got word Community Development of Long Island (CDLI) was going to bid on a project to construct and manage 10 units of affordable rentals at three Island sites.

The largest site is adjacent to the Shelter Island History Museum, a second on a site once identified for use of a septic treatment system on Manhanset Road, and the third on a small lot near the IGA.

Several Island residents have asked: What’s taking so long?

“We’re awaiting some feasibility studies from them,” CHB Chairman Bran Dougherty-Johnson said about the CDLI. The Community Housing Board anticipates seeing some plans and construction timelines within the next couple of months, he added. Then, of course, there is financing of the project to be worked out before a groundbreaking, he said.

“We’re waiting to see how that all shakes out and we’ll let everybody know when we know,” Mr. Dougherty-Johnson said.

That the CDLI stepped forward to bid on the project was a positive for the Community Housing Board because that agency is related to the CDCLI with which the Town has worked successfully to launch 16 units of Accessory Dwelling Units on privately owned lots.

But just as CDLI stepped forward for the Shelter Island affordable project, it also works for many other communities so its staff members are challenged to handle a lot of work. CDLI works with contractors to put the projects together and works with municipalities on financing projects.

Months of work have gone into the process, starting with a basic “Memorandum of Understanding” developed between the Town and CDLI, and then separate agreements with each of the contractors.

Attorney Miriam Milgrom has provided legal guidance to ensure the Town’s interests are protected.

Community Housing Board members bring a wide range of talent to the effort, but they are volunteers who have other responsibilities outside of their work for the Island; most are still actively employed full-time. 

In addition to the contracts, the committee members have had to deal with permits and other aspects of the project. At the same time the Community Housing Board is dealing with current projects, it’s looking ahead to additional affordable housing.

Unlike the initial 10 units that depended on anecdotal evidence to target the number of affordables that would get the effort started, a lesson the Community Housing Board learned was a professional study would serve them well when they prepare to launch additional units of rental and sale units.

Time has been spent hiring a firm capable of providing that professional study. Recently the firm of Nelson Pope Voorhis has been hired and held an initial meeting to discuss the approach to be taken over the course of the next few months.

There will be a basic survey distributed to Islanders, interviews with residents and with key business owners about the needs they have for staff housing.