In bid to boost efficiency, Southold shrinks size of housing commission

Amid a hot market for properties on the North Fork, the Southold Town Board recently voted 6-0 to bring down the number of members on its Housing Advisory Commission from 10 to seven, Newsday reported. Officials formed the commission in 2004 to make recommendations for finding solutions to Southold’s housing shortage and increasing housing opportunities for those who live in the town. The board said the commission had struggled to get quorums because its members often had busy schedules. Reducing its size, they hope, will help the committee function better. Former members, however, have said the commission’s problems have less to do with scheduling conflicts and more to do with trouble communicating with the board. Critics of the board’s decision said it could exacerbate local housing problems by limiting the number of experts involved in housing decisions. [Newsday]