Invasion of the YIMBYs: Yes, In My Backyard

Seeking to build a movement to support affordable housing, the Long Island Progressive Coalition has created a new campaign called YIMBY, which stands for: Yes In My Backyard.

Many members of the group, identifiable by posters and signs stating their affiliation, were present at the Huntington Town Board meeting Tuesday, Feb. 9 to voice their support for a proposed  change in the code requirements for a developer to obtain a zone change.

"I am here to say, 'Yes, in my backyard,'" said Reverend Paul Ratzlaff of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Huntington. "We want to keep an affordable mix of housing for the families in town. And, as a minister of a congregation, I am very aware of our young adults who chose to live at home and then were forced to move elsewhere to find affordable housing. It's a shame that doesn't exist here.  I'm also very aware of retiring couples who are pioneers in our congregation who are faced with similar situations. They are forced to move out and away from the community of friends and family they care for."

"I'm another YIMBY,' said Zoë Taylor. "In 1978, I was a single parent with a seven-year-old son and was transferred by my job to Huntington. I looked for an affordable place to live and couldn't find one. My folks bought a two-family house that we shared. I was privileged but not everyone is so lucky. We need this both for people like me and, more importantly, for people not as fortunate as me."

Huntington League of Women Voters President Judy Gorenstein, a 28-year resident of Huntington, said the LWV supports the proposed resolution and has since the 1960s, but the need now is even stronger due to the poor economy. " Who among us doesn't know someone who needs affordable housing?"

Nicole Bubolo said that, although she is a young professional with a mid-level executive job, she still lives with my mother. "Because there is no affordable housing here in Huntington. Rents are high and buying a home is unreasonable. I'd like to stay here and I think affordable housing will allow me and my peers to stay here stop the mass exodus so I urge you to pass this."

Currently, the developers of complexes with 10 or more units are required to designate 20 percent as affordable housing. The Board will likely vote on a measure at its Tuesday, March 9 meeting that will require developers whose plan to build five or more units to put aside that 20 percent for affordable housing.

"Affordable" housing refers to housing that is guaranteed to remain affordable for a period of time to families who qualify under specific income guidelines. For a home to be affordable, it must cost no more than 30 percent of the monthly household income for rent or mortgage and taxes, as well utilities, according to YIMBY.com.

The town code, Chapter 198-13, defines it as such: The cost of the affordable dwellings shall be such that a family/household earning no more than eighty percent of the Housing and Urban Development median family/household income (based on family/household size) for the metropolitan area shall be able to afford to purchase such a unit.

In determining affordability, mortgage interest rates, minimum down payment, homeowner's insurance and property taxes shall be considered among all of the factors that are taken into account. For senior citizens, the median household income for the metropolitan area for senior citizens shall be used as the standard."

According to the most recent data provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the median income for a family of four on Long Island was $101,800. Meaning a family of four must make under $81,440 to be eligible for some units. With the proposed legislation, some units would be made available to those who make up to 120 percent of the median income, or $122,160.