Letter to the Editor: Churchill's column misleads readers about "granny flats"

February 27, 2022 Times Union Albany, New York

Chris Churchill accuses opponents of Governor Hochul’s proposal to eliminate single family zoning of “over the top” rhetoric intended to incite fear. Yet, he uses the same tactic to mislead readers by referring to accessory dwelling units as “granny flats,” invoking the image of a tiny addition with an elderly parent moving in to spend their golden years next to family.

The state proposal would eliminate all local prohibitions on ADUs, not just for grannies. Churchill is correct that many municipalities make these units illegal as of right under their zoning laws. However, the vast majority of these same zoning laws will allow them legally by special permit after zoning board review of their dimensions, placement, duration, and effect on the neighborhood. People want to live in single family neighborhoods to enjoy the benefits of long term neighbors, less vehicle traffic, housing where the residents have a financial interest in the success of the neighborhood, and where they don’t look out their bedroom window to see another structure two feet away. I don’t want to look out into my yard and see a couple of rental units in my neighbor's yard right next to the lot line.

There is a problem with affordable housing in certain parts of our state. Instead of forcing affordable housing onto every parcel of land in the state as a misguided solution, can we figure out why, after spending trillions of dollars on the federal, state and local levels, we are in this position? Perhaps by realistically assessing why we lack affordable housing we can develop government programs that actually work.