Building a Balance: Housing Affordability and Smart Land Use Decisions

Abstract

New York consists of highly diverse regions that feature urban, suburban, and rural areas. Some regions of the state are experiencing strong development pressures while others are characterized by stagnant economies. For state policymakers, this has been referred to as a development dichotomy that is further complicated by varying capacities of local governments. Larger cities have planning departments and rural communities have volunteer planning boards. Furthermore, areas with strong economies are attempting to resist sprawl, while those with stagnant economies welcome any type of growth. These factors underscore the need for localized approaches to the development of growth-related policies in New York. The goal of this study was to examine policies that focus on land use patterns, as well as mechanisms for preserving open space and achieving goals related to environmental protection and housing affordability. This goal was achieved by conducting a series of focus groups in communities throughout New York in which development-related concerns were expressed by town supervisors, county planning commissioners, mayors, school district officials, developers, farmers, environmental advocates, housing affordability advocates, and others. The focus groups demonstrated that common ground existed among groups that are often perceived to be in conflict with each other.

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Notes on contributors

Joseph Laquatra

Joseph Laquatra is a Professor and Judy Boggess is a Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Daniel P. Cullen in the preparation of this manuscript. This project was funded through a grant from the Community and Rural Development Institute at Cornell University.

Judy Boggess

Joseph Laquatra is a Professor and Judy Boggess is a Visiting Research Fellow, Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Daniel P. Cullen in the preparation of this manuscript. This project was funded through a grant from the Community and Rural Development Institute at Cornell University.