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Steve Thorsen spoke at the Express Sessions event "Real Solutions to the Affordable Housing Crisis" and shared his personal story. MICHAEL HELLER
Putting a fine point on the discussion at the Express Sessions event “Real Solutions to the Affordable Housing Crisis” last week, affordable housing beneficiary Steve Thorsen shared the difference it made in his family’s life and how he wants his children to have the same opportunity.
Thorsen lives in Whalebone Woods, a 1980s affordable housing development in East Hampton, and he’s a retired Suffolk County correction officer.
“I’m an example of a person who wasn’t going to be able to live here till there was affordable housing,” he told the panel and audience.
He recalled how in the 1980s he was working three jobs, his wife was also working, and they were getting ready to leave despite his wife’s long family roots.
“I didn’t want to leave,” he said. “Luckily, East Hampton came up with the Whalebone Woods affordable housing. We applied. We were lucky enough to get pulled out of that lottery.”
As he walked out of the lottery, he joked that he wondered what bank he would rob, because he never thought he could afford a mortgage.
However, 30-some years later, he is still in the same home, which he’s added on to.
He has three children, two of whom are living with him. Thorsen said one is a teacher, one is physical therapist. One is dating a police officer who moonlights as a marine mechanic and the other is dating an electrician who’s also a firefighter and EMT for Springs Fire Department.
“Both these young couples deserve to stay here,” Thorsen said. “This is what our community has to remain.”
The affordable housing that is available in East Hampton right now includes many apartments, which would be a good stepping stone for his kids — but they’re making too much money to get in, he said.
The town must offer the middle class help so it can keep young professionals in East Hampton, according to Thorsen. “They can’t go buy a $2 million house or that million-dollar house where they got to put another million into it to fix it up,” he said.
He suggested the town find a piece of property like Whalebone, break up the lots, and help buyers along with the property cost so they can build their own homes.
“They don’t want a total handout,” he said, “but they want to be able to stay.”
