Public speaks out on housing

Residents offer thoughts on housing ordinance during local public hearing

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.>> The Saratoga Springs City council held a public hearing on the proposed SPA Housing Zoning Ordinance Tuesday evening. The discussion carried for a little over an hour with a number of men and women sharing their support, opposition and thoughts about affordable housing in Saratoga Springs.

“The proposed amendment would require that in residential developments of 10 or more units 20 percent of the units for sale or rent would be dedicated as affordable to households of moderate or low income with the provision of a density bonus to the developer,” said commissioner of

public safety Christian Mathiesen.

Although this remains an on-going discussion, Tuesday provided an opportunity for public to comment about affordable housing in Saratoga Springs.

“The zoning ordinance that may be proposed at a later date has not been finalized, so this input and this process is to get the public’s input and feedback regarding what you’ve been reading, what you’ve met with some of us about perhaps so this is a work in progress,” said Mayor Joanne Yepsen.

Harry Moran of Sustainable Saratoga said a mix of housing types is essential to accommodate a diverse population and thereby secure a key element in the long-term sustainability of the community.

Some men and women who work in Saratoga Springs but live outside the city spoke about how expensive it is to live in the city.

One man said he lived in Saratoga Springs briefly but spent close to 50 percent of his income on rent. He still works as a clergy in the city but stressed the importance of building a full community.

“We’re talking about teachers, we’re talking about firefighters, we’re talking about clergy, we’re talking about the kind of people that we would like to have living in our communities that are being priced out of the community,” said one woman.

More men and women from surrounding communities echoed similar sentiments.

Others took issue with a specific housing zoning ordinance.

One man said he’s not against affordable or workforce housing but he’s against inclusive zones.

“In my opinion adoption of inclusionary zoning is premature and requires a good deal more thought,” said a woman. “It’s premature because no action is immediately required and until guidance is received from HUD any response would be without basis. It requires more thought because there are many unanswered questions that the proposal raises but does not address.”

An apartment manager raised concerns about how apartments--regardless if it’s affordable housing, market rate or subsidize housing--costs the same to make. He said the ordinance would be an unfunded mandate.

“Unless there is a significant financial commitment by the city it’s not going to be something you find as successful,” he said.

Another man said it’s a numbers game. He said you have to find a way to subsidize the land cost.

“This proposal does absolutely nothing to solve the three big issues that we are looking at: land cost, zoning and nimbys,” he said. “[It] also doesn’t do anything for the third of the workforce that makes under $30,000 a year.”

Rather than a housing zoning ordinance, Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce’s vice president

Kathleen Fyfe mentioned a site-specific approach to affordable housing.

“Workforce housing is extremely important to the chamber and to the business members of the chamber and we recognize that this is an important need and we need to fill it,” said Fyfe.

Fyfe referenced the development on West Avenue that has 166 units.

Yepsen said the development on West Avenue is an active application on the land-use board, which remains an on-going situation.

Mathiesen said it’s not an either-or situation.

“The ordinance is one tool to deal with this problem,” said Mathiesen.

Yepsen said there’s a presentation set for the April 4 city council meeting with new ideas that the housing task force and builders association have developed as part of the SPA Housing Zoning Ordinance.

“Changing the zoning or working on site-specifics. We have developers that want to do something,” said president of the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce Todd Shimkus. “I just hope we can figure out a way to work together to do that to get that done.”