Dear Bryan,
The recent local documentary film “Trouble in Paradise” highlights the difficulties middle class professionals face in finding a home on the South Fork.
A Sag Harbor elementary school teacher, who grew up in Sag Harbor and can not afford to own a home here, is one of the professionals featured in the film. Her dilemma is shared by many. Lack of housing for teachers was one of the biggest problems addressed at the recent school board candidates’ forum.
Something has gone seriously wrong when a professional working in our community can no longer hope to own a home in our community. We can not accept this circumstance as inevitable. It is unhealthy and unsustainable over the long haul.
We need to ask, “What can the village do to shape a future that includes housing for the professionals that work in our village?” One answer is to pass an Inclusionary Zoning ordinance. An Inclusionary Zoning ordinance would require a certain percentage of affordable homes in developments over a certain size. Communities across the country have passed these ordinances. Brookhaven and Southold towns in Suffolk County have passed Inclusionary Zoning ordinances. If 25% of the units in a renovated Bulova Factory were affordable our village would gain 25 homes for teachers, village workers, volunteers, and seniors in our community. What better way to honor the legacy of past Bulova workers than to have their factory house present workers in our community.
You can help restore the balance to Sag Harbor by contacting the Mayor and the Board of Trustees. Urge them to pass an Inclusionary Zoning ordinance for Sag Harbor.
Thank you.
Bill Chaleff & Antje Katcher,
co-chairs South Fork Chapter /Long Island Progressive Coalition
Kathryn Szoka, Housing sub-committee chair
