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News
Dowling Roundtable Focuses on the Future of Single Family Homes on Long Island
OAKDALE, NY - Long Island Economic and Social Policy Institute Director, Martin Cantor, noted that "Long Island may well be at the crossroads, in terms of what future residential housing will look like. If regional leaders make the wrong decision in terms of infrastructure development, zoning, and land-use decisions, what Long Island looks like and who lives here may be unalterably changed."
Cantor continued, "It is not too early to begin discussing how the region's housing policies will adjust to the changing market. After years of debate, young people still can't afford to stay here, continue to move away, and do not return to Long Island after they graduate from Long Island colleges and universities. Seniors are moving into housing complexes that meet their needs, and unsold single family housing increases."
Cantor added, "Major developments, such as the Lighthouse in Hempstead Town, the Walkoff Development in Central Islip, and Suffolk County's Yaphank Development, are years away, and the Glen Isle Initiative on Glen Cove's waterfront, after a long battle, has finally overcome the reluctance of the Mayor."
Cantor announced that "helping to unravel the future of Long Island housing needs is a panel of experienced homebuilders. They are: Wilbur Klatsky, President and CEO of Community Development Corporation of Long Island (CDC-LI); Lennard Axinn, Partner, Island Estates Homes; Don Monti, principal, Renaissance Real Estate Group LLC; Christopher Capece, Development Director, Avalon Bay Communities, Inc; and, Patrick Heaney, Suffolk County Commissioner of Economic Development and Workforce Housing. Also joining us for the discussion is Nathalia Rogers, Associate Professor of Sociology at Dowling College."
Cantor concluded, "the region has to become honest with itself about the contradictions it places on the debate. Long Islanders complain about property taxes, yet will not allow projects to move forward that can bring more ratables to town tax receivers. School districts are worried about the cost of educating children from these developments, but conveniently forget that, as Long Island ages and more children advance to higher grades, the school population will become smaller; and, we continue to ignore the cost of buying open space, rather than funding sewers in our aging downtowns."
About Dowling College
Dowling College is an independent, coeducational college that serves more than 6,500 students at
its historic Rudolph Campus on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, NY, and the 105-acre
Brookhaven Campus in eastern Long Island and a business center located near the Nassau-Suffolk
border in Melville. Dowling offers Bachelor′s, Master′s, and Doctoral degrees in several
disciplines through its four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Education.
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