T
he struggle to find a rental on Long Island's North Fork is a daunting task, as evident in a recent NextDoor post by Christina, a 25-year veteran veterinary technician. She's searching for a one-bedroom apartment that allows her quiet yellow lab, and is willing to look anywhere from Mattituck to Rocky Point. However, Apartments.com reveals only six such rentals available in the entire area, with prices ranging from $2,000 to $7,250 per month.

    Meanwhile, local Assembly candidate Stephen Kiely is campaigning on a platform of "Stop Overdevelopment," claiming that Governor Kathy Hochul's Housing Compact would lead to urbanization and sprawl. However, fact-checking reveals that the plan aimed for only 1% annual increases in housing units over 10 years - a relatively modest goal.

    Kiely's rhetoric has been criticized by pro-housing advocates as Orwellian, but his strategy may be effective in a district where renters like Christina are outnumbered by homeowners. His opponent, Democrat Tommy John Schiavone, supports apartments and accessory dwelling units, but Kiely omits this from his campaign materials.

    Housing experts argue that decisions on housing policy should be made at the state level to avoid local opposition, which has led to expensive housing across Long Island. New York's housing crisis is decades old, and solving it will take time. If candidates like Kiely win seats, Albany may become even more hostile to housing reform, leaving renters like Christina in a precarious position.