Sag Harbor Brainstorms After Judge Blocks Affordable Housing

The affordable housing debate in Sag Harbor is back to square one after a judge blocked the village’s recent affordable housing measures.

The East End village is plotting next steps in the wake of a judge’s striking down two initiatives, Newsday reported. The court’s decision was handed down a month ago, but only this week did the village board decide not to appeal.

Instead, at a village meeting, mayor Jason Larocca announced plans for a community workshop to get locals involved in a renewed affordable housing effort. The lame-duck mayor — who has rebuked some of the village’s wealthy citizens for fighting the affordable housing measures — wants the workshop to happen next month, but board members couldn’t agree to that, as some want to wait until the mayor is gone.

That is far from Sag Harbor’s first disagreement since the affordable housing measures were proposed a year ago. In February, village trustee Aidan Corish recommended a review of Local Law 12, claiming it could allow “unfettered development.”

The judge last month cited an “incomplete environmental review” for the proposed action. That was the argument behind a lawsuit filed by Save Sag Harbor in October to stop Adam Potter’s 79-unit project. The community group claimed the village took shortcuts in doing the required environmental review.

The $70 million, 106,000-square-foot project has largely collapsed without ever breaking ground. Two partners backed out citing economic conditions, though the increasing backlash against the project likely didn’t help.

Meanwhile, the affordable housing crisis in the Hamptons is as severe as ever. Those who work there in the summer and year-round typically schlep in from points west, unable to afford anything on the East End.

— Holden Walter-Warner