Amityville study cites impact of multiunit housing, defines building boom

A committee tasked with analyzing the impact of multiunit housing in Amityville found that about the same number have been built since 2020 — just over 500 — as were constructed over an earlier span of roughly 70 years.

The village released the figures as part of its findings from a nearly yearlong study on the impact of multiunit housing on its services.

The study followed the December enactment of a six-month moratorium on any new multiunit housing — which was then extended for another six months — and it looked at the costs and revenues associated with multiple dwelling units over a three-year period. The village defines a multiple dwelling as having three or more units, and it includes apartments, condominiums, townhomes and accessory units.

A 10-member committee made up of current and former village officials and professionals was tasked with overseeing the study. The village released its preliminary findings at a meeting Monday night attended by several dozen residents.

The study found that 515 multiple dwelling units were built from the 1940s to the 2010s. But then from 2020 to 2025, another 517 were added, essentially doubling the number for the village of about 9,500 residents.

For the three-year period of January 2023 to December 2025, the village estimates it spent $12.3 million on police salaries, and of that, about $1 million was spent on 1,032 calls to police from multiunit housing. The calls represent 13.2% of all residential police calls, according to the data.

Of the $1.3 million spent on fire department medical services, an estimated $125,000 was spent on 257 medical calls from multiunit housing. Those emergencies represented nearly 7.8% of all residential fire department EMT calls, according to the data.

But tax revenues generated by the units more than offset the cost of answering police and fire calls to them, the study found. 

The findings include the results of surveys that were collected from 418 residents, 16 village employees, eight business owners, seven multiunit residents and four developers/property owners. Of the residents who responded, 87.8% live in single-family homes, according to the findings.

The overall perception of multiunit housing from participants was negative, with 54.8% saying the units have either somewhat or very negatively impacted the village. Just 20.9% said the units have somewhat or very positively impacted the village.

The biggest concern regarding multiunit housing was parking, which was cited by 74.7% of respondents.

Mayor Mike O’Neill, who presented the findings, said the village’s current parking requirements may have to change.

"Any future development with a one-and-a-quarter or one-and-a-half cars per unit doesn’t make sense," he said.

O’Neill told Newsday that the most surprising finding for him and the committee was the amount of tax revenue brought in by the multiunit buildings. According to the findings, multiunit rental properties generated about $3.7 million in property taxes over the three-year study period, totaling about 11% of the village’s overall tax levy for that span.

More than $1.2 million of that — or 32% — was spent in costs related to public safety for the rentals, the study found.

"The good news is it didn’t cost us money," he told Newsday about the multiunits. "It helps cover our costs and it helps address unfunded mandates, which allows us to stay underneath the tax cap. It’s a delicate balance."

The mayor said that over the next few months the committee will go over the findings and feedback from residents, and then make recommendations for code changes that would go before the village board.

O’Neill indicated the village is unlikely to extend the multiunit housing moratorium after it expires next month. But he said this "doesn’t mean that all of a sudden we’re going to open up the floodgates" to more development and that the village retains the right to deny projects.

"I would never turn away anybody who wants to talk about doing business in the Village of Amityville," O’Neill said. "We have plenty of information now as developers come to us, to say, ‘What about this?’ … We’re in a much better position to articulate what the village wants. ” 

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.