The East Hampton Town Board recently has made the decision to purchase the Avalon Motel on Fort Pond in Montauk. This action has come at the most inopportune time, when employee housing is at its most critical state. Purchased with Community Preservation Funds, this could have been deferred until alternate housing can be identified, or at least operate the property through the season.
Those of us who have been around for the Rose study 20 years ago — the report had indicated a serious shortage of worker housing facilities — can see that nothing has been done of any consequence to address this issue. It does, in fact, place the working class at a severe disadvantage. Homeowners, whether primary or second, demand services that have become more difficult to satisfy as a result.
The planned elimination of the Avalon, in my opinion, can be viewed as simply racist, since it adversely affects the minority working community.
Ken Walles
East Hampton
Mr. Walles is a candidate for East Hampton Town supervisor — Ed.
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