MONTICELLO – For the next step in creating affordable housing in Sullivan County, the Legislature voted 8-1 to pass a local law designating affordable housing as Sullivan County public purpose. The only vote no was by District 7 Legislature Joe Perrello, who pushed back the idea because he is not in favor of “importing people into Sullivan County” for low-income housing. 

“I will fight you tooth and nail,” Perrello said on low-income housing that would theoretically import people from outside Sullivan County. “When I hear affordable housing, my thinking is that there is no such thing as affordable housing. We need apartments.”

District 4 Legislator Nick Salomone voted yes to the resolution but stated that he agreed with Perrello. 

“Not that we’re against low-income housing, but the assessed valuation of that house is going to be lower,” Salamone said. “And if they have three or four kids going to school, everybody else is going to have to pick up the tab. So I’m very cautious on affordable housing.”

District 5 Legislator Cat Scott retorted that it has never been about low-income housing, but affordable housing and said that the presentation from Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress explained what the different levels were. 

The full presentation from Pattern for Progress is available on the county’s website and was also reported on in the September 27 edition of the Democrat.

“It means that the people of Sullivan County should not have to work more than a 40-hour week to afford a roof over their head,” Scott said. 

Sullivan County Planning and Community Development Commissioner Heather Brown explained to the Legislature what the local law’s purpose is. 

“What the local law does do is give this governing body the ability to develop a program, if you so choose, where local financial resources can be dedicated to address the affordable housing issues that are going on not just in Sullivan County but statewide and also nationwide at this point in time,” said Brown. “What it does not do is establish a specific program itself. There is not funding being allocated today and there are no specifics for a program that are being established today. That will come after some time following much deliberation amongst the board members, staff and the county manager.”

Brown reiterated what was reported by Adam Bosch of Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress last month, that this plan grew out of a 2022 housing strategy which was necessary then and the situation has only gotten worse since then. 

“This was one of the recommendations that we move forward with this as a result of this strategy that the county authorized,” Brown said. “This is the next step and is required by the New York State Comptroller if this board wants to move forward with any of the other programs.”

Deputy County Attorney Tom Cawley noted that one of the things that should matter right now is the move for more affordable housing in Sullivan County. 

“I think that’s important,” he said. “I think we should move forward and you have to take care of the little people, people that need your help. That was a very simple gesture. It does nothing and commits to no money, but you have to do that or you can’t control it.”

Cawley also reiterated Brown’s point that this is the first step in the process of getting affordable housing. 

“In the future, this is going to be an expensive task to take on,” Cawley explained. “We would like to be able to co-op some federal and state monies, and private and public grants available. Without this statement from the Legislature, this is a no to all of it.”