When I first came to Long Island seven years ago, I had invited the then-Suffolk County Executive to lunch, asking his help so that I might know some of the more important issues facing Long Islanders. At that time he spoke very convincingly of the need of housing for young couples and others coming to Long Island to work. He told me his own daughter and her new husband could not find affordable housing and so had to move off Long Island. Since that day, I have come to know at first hand what I heard from the County Executive. It is a story that is discussed regularly on local television and in the pages of our newspapers. There simply is not enough housing for young people beginning their married lives and careers. There is simply not a dependable stock of housing that will attract newcomers to Long Island. Real estate values, even in the current downturn, make it virtually impossible for us to have the kind of newcomers at all levels of the workforce that we need to keep our Long Island economy dynamic and growth-oriented.

There have been many proposals in the state legislature in the past seeking to remedy this situation. For various reasons, they have never succeeded in becoming law. This year there are two bills before the Senate and the Assembly that have a real promise of passing and becoming law. The first is the Long Island Workforce Housing Act, S8623 which is the same as the Assembly bill A9881. This bill is sponsored by a man I have come to know and admire, Senator Dean Skelos of Rockville Centre. Co-sponsors with him include Senators Flanagan, Fuschillo, Hannon, Owen Johnson, Marcellino and Trunzo. In the Assembly it is equally supported by a large number of Long Island legislators, led by Assemblyman Robert Sweeney of Lindenhurst. The Long Island Association, under the leadership of another outstanding Long Islander, Matthew Crosson, is actively promoting this bill.

The purpose is simply to make homeownership more affordable on Long Island. This bill gives sensible incentives to developers to undertake affordable housing and allows cooperation among the villages and towns of Long Island to see to it space is made available from village to town for this purpose. It does not “lock in” or “mandate” specific quotas for every town and village but does make affordable housing a more attractive option for local leaders, residents and developers. It also guarantees a sound basis of planning that will see to it that the housing is of a quality that will not jeopardize the real estate values of other residences and homes in our neighborhoods.

The second bill, sponsored by Assemblyman Sweeney, is similar to the first. This bill, A10111, has many local sponsors as well. Its Senate equivalent is S7065. The purpose of this bill is to identify the regional need for workforce housing, to set target goals for each municipality and create economic incentives to encourage municipalities to create Housing Opportunity Areas, to foster the development of owner-occupied homes and rental housing units that are affordable to workers and encourage smart growth and redevelopment. The program is voluntary, and no municipality will be required by the law to participate.

As pastor of the Catholic Church on Long Island, I spend a great deal of my time visiting parishes and schools and other institutions. Our diocesan agencies, like our five Catholic hospitals and the various branches of our Catholic Charities, provide me with a pretty good picture of life on Long Island. Many young people whom I have met have told me of their struggles to find decent housing as they enter the workplace or start a career that promises much for the future but which demands they can have a stable home on Long Island to be able to advance in their career choices. These are the children and grandchildren who have grown up on Long Island. They love this beautiful island, and they want to stay here, marry and raise a family. Their presence attracts others from other parts of New York and beyond who know we have healthy neighborhoods, good schools and a natural beauty that is the background for an economy we all want to be sound and healthy.

The Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church cites (n. 166) housing as one of the elements of the common good that constitute rights for every human person. While that does not mean that every legislative bill falls under the demand of a human right, it does mean that we all have a responsibility to the common good to see to it that adequate housing is provided for all sectors of our society and all members of our communities. For all of them, we need to do our best to develop the villages and towns of Long Island in such a way that they can offer homes and housing that will root them in our neighborhoods and make them active citizens in our communities. For all these reasons, I want to congratulate our state legislators for these two bills. I urge them to pass them in the Senate and the Assembly in the next two weeks. I also want to urge all of you, my readers, who agree with these initiatives, to show your agreement by e-mailing or calling your senator or assembly representative to endorse these two bills.

With our support, our elected representatives will be encouraged to continue their far-sighted and creative leadership to build a healthy Long Island today to guarantee a healthier and a happier and more prosperous Long Island for tomorrow.