The Town Board removed Cris DiOrio from two Community Housing boards after investigating a report that he took down political signs posted on Town property.
“We recognize the topic of Community Housing has ignited people’s passion, however, we do not condone his action,” the news release said.
Town Attorney Stephen F. Kiely, reached by phone, said the board had discussed the matter and come to a decision in an executive session following its Tuesday work session.
At the work session, Bob Kohn — the Town Board kicked him off the Community Housing Board last summer — said he’s personally paid for and put in place numerous signs encouraging Islanders to “Vote No” on the ballot referendum to enact a 0.5 percent real estate transfer tax to fund Community Housing initiatives.
You can read our coverage of Bob Kohn’s 2021 removal from the CHB in “Bob Kohn’s big idea: Can’t afford to live here? Leave” and the follow-up “Town Board removes Kohn from Community Housing Board.“
Kohn acknowledged placing signs on Town property, arguing that he was within his rights to do so; subsequently, numerous signs were removed.
Kiely agreed with Kohn that the Town Code section regarding signage is unclear. The Town Code has provisions for a variety of signs, but only permits temporary signs on Town property — such as rights-of-way along roadsides — for certain organizations.
What Town Code says “and what the Constitution allows are two different things,” Kiely said. While the Town can impose limits, they must be content-neutral. Furthermore, the Town has long tolerated signs in public rights-of-way.
Kohn alleged three people had witnessed DiOrio removing signs and that such acts could be grounds for petit larceny charges (SIPD said there was an open investigation but that no charges had been filed as of Wednesday morning).
“This is the chairman of the Community Housing Board picking up opposition signs,” Kohn said. “If this is all true, I respectfully request that you demand the resignation or the firing of Cris DiOrio.”
Supervisor Gerry Siller told Kohn the Town Board was investigating the matter and had spoken with DiOrio. Siller reported that DiOrio admitted to taking down a sign, and Kiely said DiOrio agreed to take a leave of absence pending further review.
“We’re going to review this situation,” Kiely said at the close of the public work session on Tuesday.
“Upon further review, the Town Board has decided to remove Christopher DiOrio from the Community Housing Board and Community Housing Fund Advisory Board, effective immediately,” the board’s news release said Wednesday.
DiOrio’s roles
DiOrio, a staunch supporter of Community Housing, served as chairman of the Community Housing Board and served on the Community Housing Fund Advisory Board.
The CHB reviews and makes recommendations to the Town Board regarding Community Housing. Town Code authorizes the CHB to:
- review and issue Special Community Housing Licenses
- participate in the approval process for Community Housing Floating Zone applications
- make recommendations regarding Community Housing eligibility
- establish and maintain the Town’s housing registry
- serve as a community liaison for housing issues
- interact with other agencies operating in the area of the Community Housing
In a June 2021 meeting that elevated attention to the Community Housing cause, DiOrio encouraged the Town Board to remove Kohn from the Community Housing Board. Kohn said he promised, “out-of-the-box thinking” on how to address housing needs.
But the ideas Kohn expressed in the June meeting ranged from denying that Shelter Island has a housing problem to foisting the Island’s burden onto other East End towns. Community, Kohn said, “is bullshit.”
The following week, the Town Board removed Kohn saying:
“Last week’s meeting made it clear that Bob Kohn can no longer effectively serve on the Community Housing Board.”
“The simple fact is that Mr. Kohn has shown that he either does not believe in or does not understand that the point of the CHB is to promote community housing on Shelter Island.”
Community Housing Plan
In January, the Town Board created the Community Housing Fund Advisory Board (CH-FAB), with DiOrio as one of the founding members. Next, in April, it set up a Community Housing Fund. Then, it tasked CH-FAB with creating a Community Housing Plan.
These actions adhere to requirements set out in the Peconic Bay Region Community Housing Fund Act, which was signed into law by Governor Kathy Hochul last October.
The law allows Suffolk County’s five East End towns to create a dedicated Community Housing Fund. However, towns can expend fund monies only in keeping with a locally-crafted Community Housing Plan.
The Shelter Island plan, drafted with input from the consulting firm Nelson Pope Voorhis, is pending formal adoption by the Town Board after a public hearing on Tuesday, October 18.
The primary source of revenue would be the new 0.5 percent real estate transfer tax paid by purchasers — not the sellers. The new real estate transfer tax is modeled on the Community Preservation Fund (CPF), which for 24 years has relied on a voter-approved 2 percent transfer tax to purchase open space.
As with the CPF, voters in each town decide whether to enact the 0.5 percent transfer tax in their town. Any monies raised stay within the community. And any housing created with fund revenues must remain affordable for future generations.
Town Hall meeting on Community Housing
The Town Board hosts a Town Hall-style meeting on Saturday, October 15, from 3 to 5 PM so Islanders can ask questions about Community Housing in a moderated format.
Kohn asked at Tuesday’s work session if speakers would be given more than three minutes to present their views. Kiely said a facilitator would be present and that no time limits would be imposed. However, Siller said redundant comments might be curtailed for the sake of making sure everyone who wants to has a chance to speak.
The Town will live-stream the event on its YouTube channel and later post it to Channel 22 and the Town website.
