Construction began Aug. 17 on the Three Mile Harbor housing complex, a $33 million development by Georgica Green Ventures and the East Hampton Housing Authority that is designed to bring 50 new energy-efficient rental apartments to East Hampton.

The project, on 14 acres at 290 Three Mile Harbor Road, will be contained in five two-story buildings, with 10 one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom and 10 three-bedroom apartments, available primarily to households earning at or below 60 percent of the Area Median Income. A community building will include a meeting space, kitchenette, broadband Wi-Fi hotspot, laundry facilities and a generator in the event of power outages, and there will also be a playground and community patio.

“The East Hampton Housing Authority greatly appreciates the commitment of the state and county agencies that support our efforts locally to create attainable housing in our community,” said East Hampton Housing Authority Executive Director Catherine Casey. “The East Hampton Town Board declared that they would actively facilitate affordable housing initiatives at the January 2022 State of the Town address and they have been true to their word. The scarcity of decent, reasonably priced rentals is now affecting all economic strata. Even businesses and individuals with significant resources are feeling the effects. Housing is now on everybody’s agenda and the Three Mile Harbor development is a significant step toward providing the community with stable, year-round housing for those who might otherwise be forced to leave or compromise their own health and safety in an effort to remain. The free market is not tending to the needs of a large percentage of our population, necessitating publicly funded housing opportunities. East Hampton Housing Authority is grateful for the state and county funding that made Three Mile Harbor possible, and also that we have such an excellent partner in GGV.”

Financing for the project includes New York State Low-Income Housing Tax Credits that will generate $18 million in equity, $3.4 million from New York State Homes and Community Renewal’s Housing Trust Fund, and $350,000 from the Federal Housing Trust Fund. Suffolk County provided $2.2 million in subsidies.

“My administration remains steadfast in our commitment to creating affordable housing for all New Yorkers that is high-quality and sustainable,” said New York Governor Kathy Hochul. “Three Mile Harbor will create 50 new, energy-efficient homes and provide opportunities for working families in East Hampton and strengthen the community through much-needed housing. We will continue taking bold action to help ensure all New Yorkers have a more stable and equitable future for the next generation, and developments like Three Mile Harbor bring us closer to this goal.”

Governor Hochul’s administration has put together a $25 billion, five-year comprehensive housing plan, funded for the first time in the 2023 budget, to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes across the state, including 10,000 with support services for vulnerable populations and the electrification of an additional 50,000 homes.

Five of the units at Three Mile Harbor will be accessible and adapted for people with mobility impairments and three of the units will be equipped for people with hearing and/or visual impairments. New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR) will provide Housing Choice Vouchers for eight apartments.

“Three Mile Harbor will provide 50 safe, affordable homes in a beautiful community with high-performing schools so that working families can create a better future,” said Homes and Community Renewal Commissioner RuthAnne Visnauskas. “And the development’s sustainable, energy-efficient design and ample green space demonstrates our commitment to building new housing that leads to a cleaner, healthier environment for all.”

In the last decade, HCR has invested over $200 million in Suffolk County, creating or preserving 1,853 affordable homes. On the East End, this includes Gansett Meadows, also in East Hampton, which provides 37 homes for working families, and Riverview Lofts in downtown Riverhead, which provides 116 affordable apartments and 12,000 square feet of commercial space in an environmentally sustainable building resilient to flooding and severe weather.

three mile ground breakingThree Mile Harbor will be green certified under Enterprise Green Communities Criteria 2020 and Energy Star Certified Homes V 3.1, with Energy Star appliances, electric heat pump heating and hybrid electric hot water heaters. The design, operations and maintenance of the development will also incorporate water conservation and energy efficiency strategies.

“Three Mile Harbor will be a transformative project for the Town of East Hampton and we are excited to mark the start of construction with today’s groundbreaking ceremony,” said Georgica Green Ventures President David Gallo. “This project serves as a model for how state and local agencies, coupled with the private sector, can work together to address the need for affordable housing by undertaking a thoughtful approach that considers sustainability, transit access and community resources. We are thankful to all of our partners for supporting this project and we look forward to continuing our work to make Three Mile Harbor a reality.”

“This 50-unit new construction project will help to address the affordable housing crisis in our region. This crisis has also exacerbated other East End issues such as traffic congestion and the recruitment and retention of fire and emergency service volunteers,” said State Assemblyman Fred Thiele. “Still, so much more needs to be done to address the demand for housing on the East End. This November, voters will have the opportunity to approve the Peconic Bay Community Housing Fund, which was signed by the Governor last October. Approval of this proposal will greatly expand additional housing options for local families.”

“Here on Long Island we are facing a housing crisis like never before,” agreed Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “Home and rental prices are at record highs and the resulting shortage of affordable housing restricts economic growth and mobility in our region. Suffolk’s funding of this development is an investment in our community and helps ensure a future in Suffolk County where residents can afford to stay.”

“Safe, year-round housing that is accessible to our community members is crucial to insure a healthy diversity in East Hampton, and to maintain the fabric of our community,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc. “As I have stated, we need an ‘all hands on’ effort to address this critical need.”