Section 699-B. Long Island workforce housing program  


Latest version.
  • 1. When a local
      government approves a subdivision plat or site plan  for  five  or  more
      residential  units  or a mixed-use development that incorporates five or
      more residential units, except as otherwise provided in subdivision  two
      of  this  section,  the applicant shall receive a density bonus or other
      incentive pursuant to a written agreement between the applicant and  the
      local  government  and  such  local  government  shall  require  of  the
      applicant:
        (a) the set aside of at least ten percent of such units for affordable
      workforce housing on site; or
        (b) the provision of other land and the construction of  the  required
      affordable  workforce housing units that are not part of the applicant's
      current subdivision plat or site plan but are to be provided on  another
      site within the same local government; or
        (c)  the  payment  of a fee equal to two times the median income for a
      family of four for the Nassau-Suffolk primary  metropolitan  statistical
      area  as  defined  by  the  federal  Department  of  Housing  and  Urban
      Development, for each additional  unit  which  results,  or  would  have
      resulted, from the density bonus or, when such fee exceeds the appraised
      value of each lot resulting from such density bonus, then such fee shall
      be  equal  to  the appraised value of the lot or lots, or the equivalent
      thereof, for each additional unit created by the density bonus. All fees
      collected by the local government as provided in this section shall,  at
      the sole discretion of the local government, be:
        (i)  deposited  in  a single trust fund under the control of the local
      government to be kept in trust and separate and  apart  from  all  other
      monies   of   such   local  government,  for  the  specific  purpose  of
      constructing  affordable  workforce  housing,  acquiring  land  for  the
      purpose  of  providing  affordable  workforce  housing or rehabilitating
      structures for the purpose of providing  affordable  workforce  housing.
      Pending  expenditures  from  such  trust  fund,  monies  therein  may be
      invested in the manner provided by law. Any interest earned  or  capital
      gain realized on the monies so deposited shall accrue to and become part
      of such trust fund; or
        (ii)  paid  to another local government within the county within which
      the local government paying such  monies  is  located,  pursuant  to  an
      intermunicipal  agreement,  to  be  kept in trust and separate and apart
      from all other monies of such other local government, for  the  specific
      purpose of constructing affordable workforce housing, acquiring land for
      the  purpose of providing affordable workforce housing or rehabilitating
      structures for the purpose of  providing  affordable  workforce  housing
      within such other local government. Pending expenditures from such trust
      fund,  monies therein may be invested in the manner provided by law. Any
      interest earned or capital gain realized  on  the  monies  so  deposited
      shall accrue to and become part of such trust fund; or
        (iii)  paid  into  a  single  trust fund under the control of the Long
      Island Housing Partnership to be kept in trust and  separate  and  apart
      from  all other monies of such partnership, fifty percent of which shall
      be used for the specific purpose of  constructing  affordable  workforce
      housing,   acquiring  land  for  the  purpose  of  providing  affordable
      workforce housing  or  rehabilitating  structures  for  the  purpose  of
      providing  affordable  workforce  housing within the county within which
      the local government paying such monies is located. The remaining  fifty
      percent of such funds shall be used to provide downpayment assistance to
      eligible  homebuyers  who  qualify  for the existing employer assistance
      housing  benefit  program  administered   by   such   partnership.   The
      downpayment  assistance funds shall be secured by a note and mortgage on
      the property purchased with such funds and shall be fully repaid to  the
    
      fund by the recipient upon the sale or refinancing of the aforementioned
      property.
        2.  The  provisions  of this article shall not apply when an applicant
      elects a  lesser  percentage  than  the  maximum  allowable  residential
      density,  or  floor area ratio if part of a mixed-use development, under
      the applicable zoning ordinance and comprehensive plan in effect  as  of
      the date of the application by the applicant to the local government.
        3.  Local  governments  shall ensure that all affordable housing units
      created  pursuant  to  this  article   remain   affordable.   Subsequent
      purchasers of such units shall have at the time of purchase, pursuant to
      the  definition of "affordable workforce housing", an income at or below
      one hundred thirty percent of the median income for  the  Nassau-Suffolk
      primary statistical area as defined by the federal Department of Housing
      and Urban Development.
        4. Within six months of the establishment of a trust fund as set forth
      in  subparagraphs  (i)  and  (ii) of paragraph (c) of subdivision one of
      this section, the local government shall issue guidelines  and  policies
      which shall govern the expenditure of trust fund monies. Any monies that
      are  not  expended  by the local government three years from the date of
      such monies being collected shall be paid into a single trust fund under
      the control of the Long Island Housing  Partnership,  as  set  forth  in
      subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (c) of subdivision one of this section.
        5.  A  local  government may enter into intermunicipal agreements with
      any local government within the same county to meet the purposes of this
      article.