New York State will need to build over 800,000 housing units during the next ten years to address current needs and meet expected population and job growth. By increasing the housing supply and creating more affordable homes, the Governor’s proposed Housing Compact is a critical step toward tackling our debilitating housing scarcity and creating a more affordable New York.
But there are other benefits as well. One of the biggest advantages of the proposal is that by prioritizing smart growth alternatives, the plan will also help advance many land conservation and environmental goals. It is important to highlight some of the key advantages of this approach, especially in light of the alarming loss of forest land in New York State.
According to the National Land Cover Database, since 2001, New York State has lost over 68,000 acres of forest land, with 94% of the lost forest (64,000 acres) attributed to sprawl, such as single-family houses and large manicured lawns. This dwarfs the amount of forest land lost to more intense development. The areas lost to sprawl are equivalent to 2.5 times the area of Minnewaska State Park. The most affected region is the mid-Hudson area, which has lost over 25,000 acres of forest land, with 95% of the loss attributed to sprawl.
Infill development has emerged as an effective development strategy that offers numerous benefits, particularly with regard to land conservation. All of the mechanisms proposed in the Housing Compact would help advance some form of infill development. The approach involves the construction of new buildings or the redevelopment of properties in existing urbanized areas. By using already developed land within urban and suburban areas, infill development can reduce the pressure on undeveloped land, preserve open spaces like wetlands, forests, and wildlife habitats, and help maintain the beauty of existing rural areas.
Moreover, infill development promotes efficient land use by taking advantage of existing infrastructure, which reduces the cost of new infrastructure development, thereby using land more effectively. It also enhances our investments in public transportation by encouraging the development of compact, mixed-use communities that are safer, more sustainable and walkable, and require less car traffic due to proximity to public transit. This approach reduces the need for car-centric development that consumes more land and contributes to environmental degradation.
The proposed housing compact isn’t just about building more, it’s also about building smarter and protecting our environment. By moving us from sprawl development to smart development, it will not only ensure that our children can afford to live in our communities but also preserve what makes them special.
