No-Cost Technical Expertise to Help Long Island Towns and Villages Create Shovel-Ready Housing Sites
Program Builds on Governor's Comprehensive Strategy to Address New York's Housing Crisis
Apply to the Long Island Forward Housing Program Here
Empire State Development (ESD) today announced the launch of the Long Island Forward Housing Program (LIFHP), a transformative $10 million initiative designed to accelerate housing production across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. LIFHP will provide no-cost technical assistance to Long Island municipalities seeking to develop multifamily housing and redevelop underutilized properties. The program will help communities revitalize neighborhoods, support economic growth, and increase housing availability across the region. This latest initiative underscores Governor Hochul's steadfast commitment to tackling New York's housing crisis through strategic investments and innovative partnerships with local communities. Interested applicants can apply to the Long Island Forward Housing Program here.
“The Long Island Forward Housing Program represents a strategic investment in Long Island's future, empowering local communities with the resources they need to create vibrant, affordable neighborhoods where all New Yorkers can thrive," Governor Hochul said. “By breaking down barriers to development and providing municipalities with critical technical expertise, we're not just building homes – we're building pathways to economic opportunity, strengthening communities, and ensuring Long Island remains competitive in attracting and retaining talent. This initiative reflects my administration's unwavering commitment to addressing New York's housing crisis through innovative, community-driven solutions.”
Empire State Development President, CEO, and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Long Island Forward Housing Program represents a pivotal investment in the future of Long Island communities. By providing technical expertise to help municipalities transform underutilized spaces into vibrant housing developments, we're addressing critical housing needs while fostering economic growth. This program exemplifies Governor Hochul's comprehensive approach to community revitalization, recognizing that housing development is essential to creating thriving, sustainable neighborhoods where people want to live, work, and invest.”
HCR Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said, “The Governor has made it clear that her administration will do whatever it takes to increase affordable housing opportunities across New York – that means providing more funding to build new homes, incentivizing development, creating new pathways to homeownership, and removing barriers that prevent communities from reaching their potential. By launching the Long Island Forward Housing Program, our partners at ESD can help ensure municipalities in Nassau and Suffolk counties have the technical resources it takes to deliver affordable, modern, secure homes on Long Island.”
The LIFHP is the result of a winning proposal developed by the Long Island Regional Economic Development Council (LIREDC) through New York State's Regional Council Challenge Competition. With this $10 million award, Empire State Development will connect municipalities with technical assistance services to overcome obstacles to housing development, improve affordability, and enhance local capacity to produce high-quality housing.
LIREDC Co-Chairs Linda Armyn, President & CEO at FourLeaf Federal Credit Union and Dr. Kimberly R. Cline, President of Long Island University said, “The Long Island Forward Housing Program directly addresses our region's most pressing economic challenge – the lack of diverse, affordable housing options that are critical to retaining young talent and supporting our small businesses. By helping municipalities identify development opportunities and engage with developers, this program will transform underutilized sites into vibrant housing developments, strengthening our downtowns and transit-oriented communities.”
Program Details
The LIFHP will help local jurisdictions breathe new life into their communities by addressing housing needs, reducing blight, revitalizing Main Streets, and creating opportunities for new jobs and homes. Based on the needs expressed in the applications, ESD will work to identify the appropriate level of technical assistance for each eligible applicant municipality. Rather than providing direct grants, ESD will fund professional services delivered by selected technical assistance vendors where packages offered can include one or more of the following services:
- Appraisal Services
- Architectural and Engineering Consultation Services
- Economic Impact Analysis for Development Scenarios
- Environmental Impact Statements and State Environmental Quality Reviews
- Evaluation of Publicly Owned Properties and Development Possibilities
- Financial Feasibility Analysis for Development Scenarios
- Market Studies
- Phase I, Phase II Environmental Site Assessments
- Real Estate Development Consulting Advisory Services
- Traffic Impact Studies
- Support During Land Disposition RFQ and RFP Processes
Municipalities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties with local zoning authority – including towns, villages, and cities – are eligible to apply. Projects will be prioritized based on criteria including:
- Alignment with LIFHP priorities
- Proximity to Long Island Railroad stations or downtown areas
- Commitment to affordable housing
- Adaptive reuse proposals and redevelopment of blighted sites
- Pro-Housing Community designation
Interested municipalities must submit a letter of intent to Empire State Development, after which they may be invited to submit a full application through the Consolidated Funding Application (CFA) portal. For more information or questions, municipalities can contact the ESD Long Island Regional Office at 631-435-0717 or email [email protected].
Mayor of the Village of Westbury Peter I. Cavallaro said, “As a certified Pro Housing Community, Westbury welcomes LIFHP as an addition to the toolkit to assist municipalities like ours to advance our plans and goals related to Transit Oriented Development. These additional resources will further to assist in the efforts by communities that are suitable for additional housing development. We’ve seen that when local communities are incentivized, and provided the needed resources, there is no better way to achieve the goal of adding housing to the region.”
East Hampton Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez said, "In East Hampton, we know that housing challenges impact the people who make our community strong- hard working families, young people, and seniors. The Long Island Forward Housing Program will help us create opportunities for more people to live and work in the community they love, serve, and grew up in. With Governor Hochul’s support, we’re taking a meaningful step toward expanding housing options. We’re grateful for her leadership and commitment to addressing the needs of communities like ours."
Mayor of Mineola Paul A. Pereira said, “The Village of Mineola has been leading the way in developing smart, locally planned, transit-oriented developments for years and as the first Pro-Housing Community on Long Island, the State has been extremely supportive by offering grant opportunities for both technical and capital projects alike. The LIFHP is another example of services that the Village of Mineola will be looking to take advantage of and I encourage other local governments to do the same.”
Town of Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim said, "I want to commend Governor Hochul for her leadership and commitment to addressing New York’s housing challenges with real, actionable solutions like the Long Island Forward Housing Program... This transformative investment will provide our local municipalities with the tools they need to revitalize neighborhoods, repurpose underutilized properties, and create much-needed housing opportunities for working families, seniors, and young professionals. If we want to keep our seniors here on Long Island and give our next generation a real chance to build a future close to home, we must continue supporting programs like this that strengthen our communities and grow our economy."
Governor Hochul’s Housing Agenda
Governor Hochul is committed to addressing New York’s housing crisis and making the State more affordable and more livable for all New Yorkers. As part of the FY25 Enacted Budget, the Governor secured a landmark agreement to increase New York’s housing supply through new tax incentives for Upstate communities, new incentives and relief from certain state-imposed restrictions to create more housing in New York City, a $500 million capital fund to build up to 15,000 new homes on state-owned property, an additional $600 million in funding to support a variety of housing developments statewide and new protections for renters and homeowners.
In addition — as part of the FY23 Enacted Budget — the Governor announced a five-year, $25 billion Housing Plan to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes statewide, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations, plus the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes. More than 55,000 homes have been created or preserved to date.
Contact:
ESD Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313
Emily Mijatovic | [email protected] | (212) 803-3692