Multifamily developers in the Town of Hempstead have hit a major roadblock.
The Hempstead Town Board unanimously approved a six-month moratorium on the building of homes and apartments in the villages of North Lawrence and Inwood, Newsday reported. The vote reverses an overlay zoning district and transit-oriented development district in the Nassau County municipality that would’ve allowed for more than 1,000 apartments to be built.
Members of the board proposed the moratorium after residents revolted against the 2019 overlay zone districting that allowed for high-density development and mixed-use businesses. Residents expressed concern about overcrowding the communities, increased traffic, parking and environmental concerns.
The overlay districts cover 73 acres and were designed to encourage affordable housing development near two local Long Island Rail Road stations. Components of the three main districts included one allowing for five-story buildings with 60 units, 450 units in another district and single-family homes in a third district.
Each of the two villages covered by the moratorium had five sub-districts in the overlay districts.
Hempstead is one of the largest towns in Nassau County and counts 22 incorporated villages at least partially within its boundaries. There are other projects underway in town to alleviate affordable housing concerns.
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North Carolina-based Grubb Properties is developing a five-story, 173-unit apartment complex on Main Street. The 220,000-square-foot property will largely consist of market-rate units, but there will also be 17 workforce housing apartments expected to range between $1,700 and $2,250 per month.
When the six-month moratorium comes to an end, developers may not be in much better shape, especially if one of the mayors gets their wish.
“I hope the town seriously considers ending this project altogether,” Lawrence Mayor Alex Edelman told Newsday, calling for a permanent ban on development in the village. “The village is at capacity. There’s no room for development at all. There’s no way to get out of here. It’s impossible to move.”
— Holden Walter-Warner