Hempstead Town Gets Grant To Study Affordable Housing

The Town of Hempstead is receiving more than $200,000 for a study to expand affordable housing available in the town.

State Senators Kevin Thomas, John Brooks, Todd Kaminsky and Anna Kaplan helped secure the funding for the study in the new state budget. The town will receive $215,000 for the study.

“We can’t stand idly by while families are forced out of their homes. This is serious and requires our attention right now,” Thomas said. “This study will explore future options for families. We are providing a road map to tackle the affordable housing crisis. I’m glad my Senate colleagues see the problem and Supervisor Gillen is taking proactive steps toward a solution.”

The housing problem is worsened by approximately 500 zombie homes in the Town of Hempstead, dragging down neighboring property values. In addition, an estimated 1,200 homes are facing some stage of foreclosure.

“This study is needed to properly assess the supply and demand of housing, along with how we can properly identify more housing opportunities to help people like our millennials that are just graduating college and entering the workforce for the first time, as well as skilled laborers that work hard every day, but are either getting priced out of the communities they grew up in and call home because of rising rents or the inability to afford purchasing a home," said Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen. "I would like to thank Senator Thomas and our entire Long Island Senate delegation that fought so hard for this funding. It lays the groundwork for a comprehensive road map that can show the town where we are and what we need to do in order to help families that need housing, and communities that want to re-purpose vacant properties.”

The goal of the study is to create policy for future funding and land use decisions, while helping form the next generation of affordable housing for at-risk families.

"We need to shed light on the availability and quality of affordable housing in the Town of Hempstead," said Kaminsky. "I was proud to fight alongside my Long Island colleagues to secure funding for an in-depth study in the budget, as it will allow us to enact truly effective solutions to a serious crisis facing the community."