The state’s Plus One ADU program — in a local collaboration between the Community Housing Board and the Community Development Corporation of Long Island — is now accepting Island applications for grants of up to $125K.
ADUs — accessory dwelling units — are secondary housing units on a single-family residential lot. They may benefit homeowners, renters, and the community by creating more housing options while maintaining the character of single-family residential suburban and rural communities.
For homeowners, a code-compliant ADU can provide an additional source of income, flexibility for multi-generational housing, and an increase in property value.
New York State Homes and Community Renewal, the state’s affordable housing agency, selected CDCLI to administer the Plus One ADU Program in the Town of Shelter Island and elsewhere on Long Island in Southampton and Babylon.
The program provides support to low- and middle-income single-family homeowner occupants who wish to build a new accessory dwelling unit on their property or improve an existing ADU that needs to be made code-compliant.
ADUs are permitted in some areas on Shelter Island, but they’re not allowed in the Near Shore Overlay. The Community Housing Board has discussed and is seeking solutions for other aspects of Town Code that present challenges for ADU integration and other strategies to expand housing. Read our coverage of their latest meeting here.
Plus One ADU highlights
The program offers up to $125K in grant funding, including project management costs per ADU constructed. Support includes ADU design, permitting, and construction costs, including oversight and closeout.
Household annual income must be below the current Nassau/Suffolk Area Median Income (AMI) based on family size. The AMI is currently $156,300 for a family of four.
What’s more, homeowners and renters must maintain year-round residency and keep the property in good condition and repair for 10 years, or the property is sold. In the event of a sale (or non-compliance), grant funds will be subject to repayment along a simple annual declining balance based on the 10-year regulatory period.
The Shelter Island Community Housing Board next meets on Thursday, July 13, at 7 PM in Town Hall, and ADU topics are on the agenda. You’re welcome to attend in person or via Zoom. Find details on the board’s page on the Town website.
