ADK housing

[billconner]

Interesting article in Adirondack Explorer on housing in Adirondacks.

https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/affordable-housing

[TCD]

The solution is the same as it has always been: dormitory housing. But nobody wants to hear that, so it won't happen. And the nonsensical "problem" will continue to not be solved, while everyone tries to milk the problem for money.

[BillyGr]

Doesn't have to be any particular type of housing - just find a piece of land and then someone who can construct a house.

Tell them you can only afford $x dollars, and have them build whatever they can for that amount.

It may be a bit smaller or less fancy than you'd like, but at least it is a starting point - you can always add more space or upgrade things later on when you have more money available.

[saabrian]

The solution is the same as it has always been: dormitory housing. But nobody wants to hear that, so it won't happen. And the nonsensical "problem" will continue to not be solved, while everyone tries to milk the problem for money.

Dorm housing might be fine for seasonal workers only staying for 6-8 weeks, since they're largely younger anyways. But that does nothing for those adults who actually want to (gasp) live and work permanently inside the Blue Line but can't afford or don't want to buy a house. And increasing the year-round population is the cry I hear so often from local officials, volunteer first responder orgs, etc.

[TCD]

As I predicted, nobody wants to hear that.

I lived in a dorm for years. It works. We want solutions that work.

If I were low income, I would happily live in a properly designed dorm. Men's wing, Women's wing, Family wing, common cooking and dining area.

This is really easy, and it is, in fact, the solution.

But again, no one wants to hear it, because most folks are not invested in solving the problem, but rather in continuing the problem.

[billconner]

I thought it sad teachers, police and fire service, laborers en etc. couldn't live there, and s cc holly populations decrease. "more than 70%—are unoccupied year-round" doesn't seem good for the future.

[Bunchberry]

I came from Long Island and my father in law lived in senior housing put up by the Town of Oyster Bay. Only TOB residents were allowed to live there. Could that be done? Removing the age requirements of course.

Each person owned their own unit and there was a set price. It was pretty nice.

[montcalm]

Government subsidized housing? Hmmm... that sounds like communism to me. Not exactly what I was expecting to hear from TCD


The hardcore free market supporter would say let it be. Eventually the people driving up the market prices will get exactly what they payed for. But of course they'll blame the APA...


I tend to think perhaps the solution should be somewhere in between - raise taxes on rich seasonal residents and use that money to provide incentives to permanent residents with proof of employment in the park. Things like tax relief and housing cost assistance. It accomplishes the socialist aspect with a bit more freedom. Just my 0.02.

[saabrian]

As I predicted, nobody wants to hear that.

I lived in a dorm for years. It works. We want solutions that work.

If I were low income, I would happily live in a properly designed dorm. Men's wing, Women's wing, Family wing, common cooking and dining area.

This is really easy, and it is, in fact, the solution.

But again, no one wants to hear it, because most folks are not invested in solving the problem, but rather in continuing the problem.

It might help if you acted more interested in addressing the problem and sharing your experiences than trashing the motives of the people who you haven't convinced yet due to inadequate explanation.

I would've loved to hear you elaborate more on your years of dorm living but you'd rather see me as the enemy. The martyr complex is strong.

[TCD]

Saabrian, I lived in a dorm during college.

Of course it's easy for a young man to live in practically any conditions, so it's not a totally fair comparison.

But if the goal is to get roofs over people's heads as inexpensively as possible, then a dormitory model is the way to do it. The newer "affordable" housing developments that are going in will be MUCH more expensive per unit. They may not actually do much to solve the problem, but folks will get rich building them.

(My reaction to the housing issue is largely the result of watching decades of of more and more money being spent, and the problems getting worse, not better. Where's the money going? Who is getting rich? In whose interest is it that more and more money continues to be spent on "less-than-efficient" "solutions?" Not reacting to your input specifically. But I do think it's incorrect to state that a dorm approach "does nothing" for people who want to live here long term.)

Montcalm, I also understand your point. If there actually were a normal economy here in the Adirondacks, housing and other issues probably would in fact sort themselves out. But government has so massively modified the economy here for so many years, it's not remotely normal. And I would welcome government maybe spending just a bit of money to try to help with the resulting problems.

[Klinkhamer]

Need a circuit breaker

Property taxes typically are based solely on assessed Property Value, however a year round resident making 30-40K a year can't afford property worth several hundred thousand dollars or more with the taxes attached to it. When your neighbor builds a million dollar home next door to your small cabin in the woods, your property values increase to a point the taxes on them become confiscatory and you can lose your home. Need to have a circuit breaker for property taxes based on some other variable(s) such as family income, provided the person(s) on that property are year-round residents actually living & working there in community too. I'm sure this isn't the first time this idea has been heard.

[Tug Hill]

History repeating itself in the ADKs. In the not to distant future only the rich will be able to afford property or homes there. But Realestate is out of control everywhere. Went with my realtor friend to look at a 6 acre property on Tug Hill with a small spartan, mouse infested , cabin. 11 miles On a old logging road with a a Conservation easement allowing public motor vehicle access . The realtor told the property owner he would list it for $35,000, property owner said no way , list for $50,000. And I’ll bet he gets darn close to that.

[montcalm]

All the more reason for the towns to try to control it - taxes are very low in the Adirondacks compared to the rest of the state.

I still advocate the Robin Hood method as the best self-correcting method. If you tax those that can afford it enough and cut taxes on those who live there, then you'll eventually even out to where you're gaining more residents than you can sustain, at that point you start evening the tax burden again. It's a constant adjustment to keep the right balance between those who work and those who play.

[Wldrns]

"redistribution of wealth": and socialism at its best rearing its ugly head. Pretty soon you will run out of othe people's money. Go to school, (pay for it) and get a better job.

[montcalm]

I think the current issue is quite the opposite- it’s people from downstate who have immense purchasing power relative to those who must “serve” them in the Adirondacks. It’s rampant capitalism. Unchecked development as a function of capitalism will not fix the issue either- history tells us exactly how that goes.

Hate to tell you but neither socialism or capitalism in their pure, ideal forms work. The best emergent systems utilize both to check one another.