Suffolk Reporter

Assemblyman Jarett Gandolfo (R,C-Sayville) criticized Governor Kathy Hochul's new housing initiatives following her State of the State address. He expressed concerns that these plans are designed to burden suburban communities with increased living accommodations.

Gandolfo highlighted previous opposition to last year’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) proposal, which prompted Hochul to retreat from adding new housing options in suburban Long Island. "The governor is once again on the attack against local control of zoning," he stated.

He argued that any significant expansion of housing in Long Island suburbs would negatively impact residents' quality of life due to inadequate infrastructure. "We simply do not have the infrastructure to handle such an increase in population density - we already have massive problems with traffic and wastewater management," he said. Gandolfo also noted potential adverse effects on school districts, citing likely increases in student-to-teacher ratios.

"The governor needs to stop this attempt to upend our suburban communities and leave local control of zoning intact," he concluded.