|
RCBJ-Audible (Listen For Free)
 |
Supporting A Residential Zoning Overlay Allowing Apartments In Pearl River’s Downtown
Dear Editor:
I am a Pearl River resident, 25 years old, entering my final year of law school, currently work as a paralegal, and still live at home.
I strongly support these apartments because Orangetown needs more housing options for working professionals, new families, people starting out, and people who grew up here and want to stay here. Right now, many people my age are stuck between remaining at home well into adulthood or leaving town entirely because single-family homes are too expensive, and there are not enough apartments or condos for those not ready to buy a house or start a family.
It is one thing to lose residents to Hoboken or New York City because they want a different lifestyle. But we should not be losing people to Park Ridge, Montvale, or other towns along the NJ Transit line simply because those places offer apartment options that we do not. Unfortunately, several people I know are already in that exact situation.
Apartments give people a practical way to stay here, save money, build their lives, and eventually buy in the community. They also give new people a chance to come into Orangetown and put down long-term roots here. If people are forced to leave and build their lives somewhere else, they are less likely to come back, less likely to care about the long-term future of Orangetown, and more likely to sell family homes later without any attachment to the community.
We also should recognize that not everyone is looking for a house right away. Many people value amenities, walkability, easier commuting, less maintenance, and a sense of community. A well-planned apartment project near town and near transit — while still addressing the traffic and commercial concerns that other have raised — can provide exactly that.
This issue is even more important because, across the country and especially in Rockland County, individual homebuyers are increasingly being priced out by high housing costs, LLCs, investors, and well-connected buyers. Having worked in the New York State Assembly for former District 97 Assemblyman McGowan, there is no shortage of state proposals that would place outside pressure on us to build and develop. We have a strong Town Board, and we should work on our own terms before the state dictates to us.
For Orangetown to remain healthy, we need balance. We need seniors, families, working professionals, school-aged children, people starting their lives, and new residents who want to become part of the community. These apartments help create that balance.
Daniel (“Danny”) Gurniak
