Possibilities abound for solving the housing crisis

MILLERTON —  The opening of Expo ’23 at the Millerton Library Annex on Saturday, Feb. 18, highlighted ambitious plans to address a problem felt locally and, in fact, almost everywhere: the lack of appropriate homes for people of moderate incomes — housing insufficiency, or the ‘missing middle’ range of housing stock.

The Expo presented a wealth of ideas, knowledgable people and imaginative solutions. The 50 attendees peered intently at Millerton/North East Housing Working Group member Tom Parrett’s informative  graphics, watched videos, and discussed current needs and possible initiatives by government in pairs and groups.

A notable invitation to explore the Expo came in the form of a tiny house on a trailer parked near the Annex’s Century Boulevard entrance. Builder/entrepreneur Stone Scasso gave a tour of the structure, a type of home that can be located in a temporary or a more permanent way, and that may sell in the $40,000 range. 

Sam Busselle, one of the main members of the working group, spoke to the needs for affordable housing. “Forty percent of our population in Millerton/North East are cost-burdened,” he said, considering the accepted definition of paying more than 30% of gross income on housing. 

To dispel stereotypes of “affordable housing” as large dwellings with many units, among the many options delineated on panels around the room were prefab, workforce and cluster housing; one- and two-family, tri- and fourplex housing; and one form that seems a likely part of a solution for our area because it is (almost) already here: Busselle pointed out the promise of ADUs, or accessory dwelling units — which may accommodate one or two people or a family — on already existing homes or properties.

New York state plans

As incentives to owners to create such solutions, Busselle noted that part of the promised $250 million budgeted in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s New York Housing Compact would go to encourage creation of ADUs. Targets in general would include the addition of affordable units equivalent to 1% of all dwellings every three years. At this point, total dwellings in North East/Millerton number 1,100.

Karen Jacobson, architect and a member of the working group, spoke about ADUs from her firsthand experience with tenants living on her property. “Our dogs play, they help out if I’m not around. It’s good company.”

The question of why such arrangements, which could be mutually beneficial, aren’t more common led to discussion of some bigger-picture practicalities. “I think it’s the cost [of creating something like this in their home] that’s a deterrent,” offered Christa Hines, head of Hudson River Housing. Government incentives for owners could go a long way. Jacobson agreed, pointing out that good low-interest loans would enable construction of units, and rental income would eventually pay them back. 

A multi-pronged challenge

There are also needs for zoning changes and permissions, although “the building department is much easier to deal with when faced with additions to existing properties” than in the case of completely new builds, according to architect Jacobson. NIMBYism, and concern over changes in the character of villages and rural areas, were leitmotifs of several conversations; the crowd seemed realistic but hopeful that needed changes can be made.

Prefab homes

Moving to another standing panel, Jacobson pointed out the Boxabl, a kind of modular home that comes in boxes ready to be assembled and that can be transported on regular trucks and combined to create larger spaces. Affordability, she said, implies acceptance of the need for smaller dwellings, for which some of the elder population seem to be primed.  These home “kits” sell for $50,000 but, she noted, there is currently a waiting list of 150,000 people.

Rental or ownership models

Some nonprofits own and keep the land on which affordable homes are built and rent them out. There are also lotteries, which enable residents to buy and eventually sell their affordable homes. The rental model, on the other hand, should enable people to save money to buy their own homes eventually.

One viewer of a panel on prefab and cluster homes spoke of the desire to keep his family reasonably close. “I’m concerned,” he said. “I have children and stepchildren who are finding it hard to find affordable places to live. This is inspirational.”

Paul Bengtson, community programs director of North East Community Center and member of the working group, noted that current state and federal government funding favors large-scale developments but needs to be based also on village- and rural-scale efforts. He pointed out that workforce housing, for example, could mean a range of possibilities from individual family homes, possibly in clusters with plots for growing food, to more communal solutions with individual bedrooms surrounding shared living and kitchen spaces. 

Market vs. livable rates

Bengtson acknowledged that property owners need incentives to charge less than market-rate rents for their properties. But there are a lot of opportunities for people to age in place in their homes if parts of their properties are given over to ADUs. There are sources of money for this but they’re not yet, as he said, “robust.”

The goal of the Expo, according to newly appointed North East Councilwoman and working group member Meg Winkler, was to expose the community to a variety of housing types that could be part of a solution. 

Winkler pointed to a sobering document from Hudson River Housing: a flyer on which five sample Dutchess County families are presented, ranging from one to five members, with the adults working jobs from waitstaff to teachers to construction workers, with typical salaries or wages. In every case the disparity between what they could afford and what they actually have to pay to rent or to buy housing is stark. The Regional Plan Association — the North East/Millerton Working Group, along with about 40 other groups — aims to alter those scenarios.