Patchogue was named a Pro-Housing Community by New York State on Wednesday, a recognition of the village’s 20-year effort to encourage new housing construction at a time when housing is in short supply on Long Island.
Patchogue is a “model for what a successful downtown looks like,” Department of Homes and Community Renewal commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas said during a ceremony at Village Hall, at which she presented mayor Paul Pontieri and village board members with a framed letter officially welcoming Patchogue to the state’s Pro-Housing Communities program.
Municipalities that are part of the program can tap into $650 million in state funding for infrastructure and technical assistance in support of their housing efforts.
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed fiscal year 2026 budget includes an additional $110 million for the program: $100 million for infrastructure spending and $10 million for technical assistance.
Two hundred seventy-six communities are part of the program, 11 of which are on Long Island, including the Town of Brookhaven.
“It’s important to the village because there’s funding available,” Pontieri said.
“There are 273 certified Pro-Housing communities, including the Town of Brookhaven. Another 430 have submitted letters of intent to join the program.”
Since 2006, about 700 apartments and for-sale townhouses have been built in Patchogue, Pontieri said.
More than 300 additional units are in various stages of the approval process, including the 262-unit Carriage House apartments on West Main Street, a 30-unit apartment house proposed for Mulford Street and 13 apartments at the Tempo by Hilton hotel.
A development project in East Patchogue has benefitted assistance from the Department of Homes and Community Renewal. Georgica Green Ventures is building 55 units of affordable and supportive housing. The Department of Homes and Community Renewal provided $2.4 million. The project also received $21.1 million equity from federal and state low-income housing tax credits. Suffolk County provided $1.8 million in loans for infrastructure and acquisition.