Katie Hochul colonizes Long Island with housing order, New York GOP officials say

Seven Republican senators say Gov. Kathy Hochul has imperial ambitions to transform Long Island through a state budget proposal for statewide housing expansion to alleviate the ongoing housing shortage in the New York area.

“She’s committed to solving New York’s housing crisis by making Long Island New York’s sixth borough,” State Senator Steven Rhoads (R-Massapequa) said at a press conference in Mineola Friday with six GOP colleagues.

“The governor’s executive budget proposals are a reckless and irresponsible attempt to challenge both the local government’s right to control local zoning and the right of every Long Islander to maintain their safety and quality of life in the suburbs,” said Rhodes, who toppled the Democrat. incumbent John Brooks last year.

GOP lawmakers are being challenged after the unveiling of Hochul’s proposed budget earlier this week, which details her vision to boost 800,000 housing units over the next decade.

Her housing plans include new requirements for communities surrounding New York City to increase housing supply by 3% each year, while requiring suburbs within 15 miles of the city to allow at least 50 housing units per acre within half a mile of any transit stations. with lesser requirements for settlements further from the city.

State Senator Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-Rockville Centre), who took over from her longtime Democratic seat last fall, said she has nothing against the five boroughs but doesn’t want Nassau to look like them.

“If we wanted to live in a different environment, people would live in Queens and not in Nassau County, but now we are changing the nature of communities on Long Island,” she told The Post.

The Hohul plan gives localities a free hand to fulfill their housing objectives, although its failure would mean loosening the rules for developers who want to build.

She is also offering $250 million in funding to help local governments expand infrastructure such as sewers to accommodate new housing and the resulting population increase.

“The plumbing systems for these areas, the sewer systems for these areas have been designed to accommodate single-family homes, all systems must be upgraded to accommodate the extra density that the governor is proposing,” the senator said. Jack Martins (R-Great Neck) said, arguing that villages like Mineola, where he was previously mayor, could only need “tens of millions of dollars.”

Hochul spokesman Justin Henry defended her “daring” plan to build 800,000 new homes over the next decade while opposing Friday’s GOP criticism.

“Gov. Hochul is committed to working towards a solution to the housing crisis and making New York more accessible with any elected leader who wants to be part of the solution,” he said.

Some Long Island residents also say Republicans are attacking the plan without honestly assessing its merits, while Nassau and Suffolk counties are facing housing shortages and growing homelessness.

“We find local officials keen to continue pushing the divide over the housing crisis extremely worrisome. Governor Kathy Hochul’s Housing Plan is a multifaceted approach to addressing New York City’s most critical housing challenges,” said Sidney Joyner, Chairman of the Urban League of Long Island.

Her housing proposal is just part of a proposed $227 billion spending plan that drew fire from the Republican Party just months after their surprisingly strong performance in the November election that cost Democrats three seats in the Long Island State Senate.

“The last thing businesses need is an increase in taxes, and that’s exactly what they might be facing,” Assembly Minority Leader William Barclay (R-Fulton) said of Hochul’s proposal to increase the city’s commuter mobility tax .

Members of the Republican Congressional delegation from New York also said its housing plans would create “chaos” in the suburbs.

And on Friday, Republican lawmakers appeared eager to exploit the issue as elected leaders in the Democratic-dominated Albany prepare for state budget talks before the April 1 deadline.

“Our partners in local governments play a vital role in the planning and development that affects the quality of our lives every day. Using a heavy-handed approach that ignores our local elected officials is a big mistake that will end up causing more problems than it solves,” said State Sen. Dean Murray (R-Shirley), who won the open seat last year.

Last year, Hochul turned down an offer to help expand so-called ancillary housing units, such as basement apartments and grandma’s apartments, after he faced resistance from suburbanites who complained about government abuse.

“Last year we successfully came together to defend the voice of those we serve, and we remain committed to protecting the rights of every Long Islander,” said State Senator Mario Mattera (R-Smithtown).

Long Island’s Republican senators are hoping something similar will happen this time because of its controversial push to increase housing density in the suburbs.

“The governor’s proposal is nothing less than an existential threat to our way of life that should not be exaggerated or ignored,” said Martins, who replaced Democrat Anna Kaplan last year. “I urge the Governor to drop this stupid and clumsy proposal and work with our communities and local leaders to drive not just growth, but smart growth.”