Blight to Light Challenge to Save Suburbia

Supervisor Mark Lesko and the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency premiered a film, "Blight to Light," at Stony Brook University's Charles B. Wang Center Monday, which portrays blight as opportunity to save suburbia.

"Suburban blight has reached epidemic proportions on Long Island, but the irony is these blighted properties provide the best opportunity for redevelopment," said Lesko, "the package of incentives that I am proposing will make it incumbent upon the private sector to take action. The blight we have in Brookhaven is largely a result of poor government planning in the past, and today we are introducing a new way of thinking that can redefine where we live and spur redevelopment." 

The film, produced by the Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, depicts real, graphic images of suburban blight in Brookhaven, but also demonstrates how these blighted properties can be turned into light through new planning methods, looking to models of redevelopment like downtown Patchogue. 

"For over 30 years the IDA has concentrated its efforts on new construction and/or the expansion of commercial and industrial projects. We will now expand our horizon to include a focus on the Town's efforts toward the redevelopment of the aforementioned blighted properties," said Frederick Braun, Chairman of the Town of Brookhaven Industrial Development Agency, in a statement.

The most innovative and game-changing initiative that was proposed was the B2L Grading System. This grading system assigns points to three categories: Blight Severity, Potential for Re-development, and Location of Re-development. The combined score the project receives in these three areas determines the level of the incentive package from the Town. The incentive packages, in order from the most basic incentive package to greatest incentive package, are:

1. The Illuminated incentive package
2. The Bright incentive package
3. The Radiant incentive package
4. The Brilliant incentive package

"The B2L grading system puts the ball in the private sector's court," Lesko said. "We are proposing attractive incentive packages, and I am putting on the table a change of zone by the Town Board's own motion as part of the "Brilliant" incentive package if the property is severely blighted, has the most potential for re-development, is a cutting edge, creative project, and is in the right location.

"We need redevelopment in the Town of Brookhaven to eradicate the blighted properties that are eyesores and sometimes create dangerous situations. Redevelopment will also stimulate exciting destinations, create jobs, and thereby reduce property tax incentives." 

Other proposed measures to turn blight into light include:

• A Blight Study, which will determine what properties or corridors in the Town are blighted. With the help of the leadership of the Town Council, the Town recently designated a portion of one of Brookhaven's hamlets, East Patchogue, as blighted. A town-wide blight study will clearly identify where suburban blight exists.
• A Sewer Analysis, which will determine where sewers exist, who operates them, and how much excess capacity they have. This analysis will show where the Town needs sewers to help spur redevelopment and if there is opportunity to tap into excess capacity.
• A Redevelopment Overlay Incentive District, which will allow for mixed uses in a parcel that is ripe for redevelopment.
• A Long Island Housing Partnership Affordable Housing Grant Program. The LIHP has pledged to dedicate $4.5 million to Brookhaven Town to assist the private sector in creating affordable housing opportunities in mixed-use redevelopment projects. These funds come from the New York State HELP program for Smart Growth Development, which were secured by Long Island's Senate delegation. This program will allow redevelopment projects to take advantage of up to $25,000 per unit to help subsidize the cost of the unit for homebuyers. For example, if a developer was to sell a unit at $250,000, this program would give the developer a $25,000 credit so the homebuyer's purchase price would be $225,000.