In an effort to help keep future generations in the Town of Oyster Bay, Councilman Anthony Macagnone recently proposed a comprehensive First Time Homebuyers Plan which would allow for affordable housing to be built for young residents. The councilman said that the he hopes this plan will help the young families of Oyster Bay make the dream of home ownership a reality.

Macagnone noted that through his role as both a carpenter and councilman, he meets a lot of people and one of the topics that frequently arises is the lack of affordable housing. He said that through the many discussions he's had, he's seen that one of the biggest problems in the town and all of Long Island is that young people simply cannot afford to buy a home, resulting in the need for them to rent, therefore having nothing to show for months and years of paying for residences. He noted that when he was first renting an apartment in Manhattan some 20 years ago, and even as recently as a few years ago, the amount of money homeowners had to pay in mortgages was much less than it is today.

"The rule of thumb [used to be that] 25 percent of your income went for housing," Macagnone said. "Now we're finding families that are paying 45, 50 percent - and it's not even for mortgage, it's rent. We're seeing the middle class being pushed out of the Town of Oyster Bay and that's very alarming to me."

Upon speaking with people in various communities throughout the town, Macagnone sat down with Town Supervisor John Venditto to come up with suggestions as to how these young people who are being driven out of the Town of Oyster Bay could remain on Long Island.

"As one of the most desirable places in the world in which to live, the Town of Oyster Bay has seen an unprecedented surge in property values over the past several years," Macagnone said. "While this is certainly a benefit for homeowners who have invested so much into their property, current real estate prices present a formidable challenge to our young people and families seeking to buy their first homes."

This plan would allow for the establishment of Resident Starter Housing (RSH) zones, similar to the Resident Senior Citizen (RSC) zones program (previously known as S-2 zones or Golden Age Housing). Macagnone noted that the goal of the RSH zones program is to provide starter housing that benefits the town's young people in the same way that senior housing has benefited senior citizens.

At the supervisor's direction, Frederick P. Clark Associates, Inc., will conduct a housing market study to determine the criteria. Venditto explained that Frederick P. Clark Associates provides planning and development consulting services in the town and they will conduct the study that is needed in order to determine criteria for this program in the areas of household income, household size, eligibility and quantity of units.

"This criteria will be used to establish permitted density in the RSH zones, as well as unit sizes, buyer eligibility priorities such as residency, location priorities and pricing regulations," Venditto said.

"This is not going to be a rental by any means," Macagnone explained. "People are going to be able to build equity, and as a young person, you need that equity. You need a tax write-off."

While other townships on Long Island have similar programs, the councilman noted that many of them offer rentals, not homes for ownership. Officials reviewed various affordable housing policies in townships throughout Long Island and the greater metropolitan area and ultimately opted for the plan for RSH zones for private development as the best possible proposal for Oyster Bay. Macagnone said that this is an innovative plan and hopes that it will have the support of residents.

"The people I've spoken to say they love it - they say we need it," Macagnone said. "Recently, I met with some young residents who are renting a house. With the cost of rent and utilities, they are having great difficulty saving to purchase a house in the area. Having grown up in Oyster Bay, they would like to bring up their own children here to enjoy all that the town has to offer. This legislation will help them and many other working families stay in Oyster Bay for generations to come."

A father of two, the councilman said he understands the importance of keeping families together. "I have two daughters and I want their kids to grow up on Long Island," he said.

One of the main points the councilman made is that this is not going to be lower-income housing by any means. He said that the townhouses will probably be designed similar to the senior housing units and that the criteria will probably be the same, that applicants need to either reside in the town or have families that live in the town.

Another question on many people's minds is where this housing will go, as it seems that there is little room left in Nassau County to develop land. However, the councilman said he is confident that available space will be found.

"When we first went with senior housing, we never knew where it was going to go," Macagnone pointed out, noting that now there are over 1200 units available to senior citizens and applications are pending for additional senior housing units in some areas. Macagnone added that while officials are not yet sure where exactly the units will be developed, he feels that every community within the Town of Oyster Bay has a need for residential starter homes.

The housing market study is scheduled to start shortly and will take several months to complete. Following completion of that study and determination of criteria, the RSH zones plan would be presented for a public hearing by the town board. If approved, the next step would be for a developer to find property then come before the town board and look for permission to change the zoning of that property. Macagnone said that he hopes affordable housing in the town will get started within a couple of years. Additionally, he said that he hopes RSH zones will help as many young people as the RSC zones have helped senior citizens.

"We have to help these kids so they stay here. We can't just have the very rich and the very poor in Oyster Bay. There's no future for people otherwise. We're looking to make sure that the Town of Oyster Bay stays in the Town of Oyster Bay," Macagnone said. "The Town of Oyster Bay has a certain quality to it and people who grew up [here] know that quality. This plan will help keep our sons and daughters here and ensure that our town remains the best place to live and raise a family for present and future generations."