Just couldn't take 'yes' for an answer

Affordable housing — without a doubt it’s one of this region’s most controversial topics. Some people would do anything to keep affordable housing out of their community while others embrace  the concept. Nowhere has the debate been more heated than in the town of North East and village of Millerton, where since 2003 the topic has been generating interest from local government, residents and developers.

Background

Back then the not-for-profit Housing Resources of Columbia County, Inc., was chosen as the preferred developer to build a 20-unit family and senior “workforce� housing complex on North Elm Street, where routes 22 and 44 intersect. The county awarded the town a $108,000 Community Development Block Grant to help purchase the 3.7-acre lot for the sole purpose of building affordable housing. The anticipated completion date for “Millerton Overlook� was originally the end of 2005; delays, extensions, errors and miscalculations all contributed to making that target date impossible to meet. To date the project has yet to even break ground.

The present

Which brings us to today. The applicant is suing the village of Millerton and its Planning Board for delaying the review process until “the applicant [was] financially drained to death,� according to Housing Resources’ attorney Scott Longstreet. The group said it spent upward of $700,000 — an extraordinary amount — in the application and review process thus far, and that’s before any type of environmental determination has been made.

In default

Attorney to the Town of North East Warren Replansky was asked by the Town Board to draw up a resolution finding Housing Resources in default of its Compliance Agreement with the town. He did so. Replansky drew up a clear, concise resolution following the board’s request. That resolution was acted upon by the board — which found Housing Resources in default of fulfilling its commitment.

Let’s be reasonable

Concerned Citizens, the group that’s been hounding the Town Board to find Housing Resources in default, was not satisfied with that resolution. At the board’s October meeting the group stood up and said it “did not agree� with the document’s wording. It wanted “any impression the town is under an ongoing obligation to build affordable housing on the subject property� removed.

Listen, it’s great for citizens to have their say, to join together and participate in the process. That’s how things get accomplished in our democracy. But at this point in time, the sincerity of that group’s motive is clearly lacking.

Board has done its part

The Town Board has been respectful and earnest; it has genuinely listened and responded to requests made by Concerned Citizens and others regarding this issue. The board found Housing Resources in default, due largely to Concerned Citizens’ efforts. The town has acted fairly and without prejudice.

To now demand the Town Board amend, or rescind, its resolution is absurd. It already acted on the matter and came to a conclusion, a conclusion those opposed to the affordable housing project were actually seeking.

What more is wanted? If members of Concerned Citizens want the promise that nobody will ever build affordable housing in that location in the future, that’s impossible. That’s up to future property owners, not the town. And the zoning issue was already decided a number of years ago by the village.

Make no mistake — this isn’t about silencing citizens — it’s about working with those who are reasonable. To nitpick over items that have been laid to rest is petty, plain and simple. Let’s hope the town takes a stand in this instance, offers Concerned Citizens a copy of the enacted resolution and then swiftly moves on to the next item on its agenda.