Governor Hochul Tours Patchogue, Speaks On NY Housing Compact Proposal

PATCHOGUE, NY — Governor Kathy Hochul toured Patchogue on Thursday, speaking with local leaders and elected officials to highlight key components of the New York Housing Compact.

At the YMCA of Long Island, the governor said with the town's access to the Long Island Railroad, walkability, and abundance of small businesses, Patchogue is an ideal New York community.

"And this is a shining example of the kind of community that people are looking for, they're thirsting for, and we have so many more jobs coming here," she said.

Hochul also stated that while many young families are moving to Patchogue, the rising cost of living on Long Island makes it difficult to purchase a home.

She announced that to address New York's housing crisis, her proposal would strive to build 800,000 new homes in the next decade, to make the state more livable, accessible, and affordable.

Local advocates of the plan also spoke at the event.

"Long Island is well positioned for sustainable economic growth that will help protect property values and curb tax increases, thanks to the Governor's investment in our region's transportation and innovation assets," said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. "The single greatest threat to this economic prosperity is the housing crisis and I applaud Governor Hochul for taking this issue head on. The Governor has put forward a plan that will incentivize local municipalities to work closely with the state to address an issue that is critical to our economic future."

Village of Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri also spoke about the rising costs in the area.

"Housing costs are issues many Long Islanders face. Here in Patchogue, we have done a lot to address the housing crisis on Long Island and have built mixed-use workforce housing so that our young adults and seniors can stay here while participating in our local economy," said Pontieri. "I had the pleasure to show the Governor how density and design go hand-in-hand and look forward to working with her administration in making sure our communities are able to address the housing crisis with the tools they need to implement change."