Stony Brook Southampton Campus Could Be Site of State-Funded Affordable Housing

The Stony Brook Southampton campus is one of many state-owned parcels that could be developed with affordable housing in the coming years.

Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced her goal of creating up to 15,000 affordable housing units on state-owned land scattered across the state during her State of the State address — and Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. confirmed that the 82-acre campus in Shinnecock Hills was among the sites being considered.

The governor will propose $500 million in funding for the initiative in next year’s budget.

“I’ve talked to Stony Brook, and I know the governor has talked to Stony Brook. The Southampton campus is clearly on the list as a potential site,” Thiele said on Wednesday morning. “When it comes to underutilized property, there is probably no better than the Southampton campus. It’s been on the radar.”

Thiele said he supported the concept in general and suggested that dormitory buildings on the west side of the property, many of which are condemned, would provide a good site for affordable housing.

There has been talk of providing some affordable housing in conjunction with the construction of a new hospital at the site, but Thiele said he believed the governor was looking at providing workforce housing that goes beyond just meeting the new hospital’s needs.

A source, who requested anonymity, told The Press on Tuesday that the governor was eyeing as many as 500 units at the campus, but Thiele said he had not heard any specific numbers.

“Anything is possible. I’m not saying the number’s not real, but those are the kinds of things that need to be worked out,” Thiele said.

To be successful, the governor needs “to work from the ground up,” he added. “The state needs to work with the community to develop a plan, not from the top down and suddenly say, ‘This is the project.’”

Thiele said it is possible Southampton Town, which is beginning to collect revenue for its Community Housing Fund, could be invited to take part in any development plan.

Supervisor Maria Moore could not be reached immediately for comment.

Thiele said the governor’s initiative grew out of her failed effort last year to circumvent local zoning to require municipalities to provide more affordable housing. After that idea was withdrawn, the governor requested that all state agencies take an inventory of the land they own to determine what would be suitable for affordable housing.

Thiele said he expected details of the governor’s plan to come into sharper focus next week when work begins on the state budget.

“Now the hard work begins,” said Thiele. “As with all these projects, the devil is going to be in the details.”