Building around Long Island train stations would let more people reside in communities with high-quality public services, and in proximity to good jobs. It would also help to redress the long history of racist housing policies that have made Long Island one of the most racially segregated suburban areas in America. Some local governments in the state, including New York City, have chosen to encourage affordable housing development through permissive zoning, financial incentives or policies that require big projects to include affordable units. Such measures are less common in the wealthy Nassau County areas closest to New York City. Around other stations, development is strictly limited, and it can take decades for a project to move forward.

Source: New York Times June 26, 2021 15:11 UTC