BY ADAM ATKINSONNorth Country This Week

POTSDAM — A measure calling for Potsdam to adopt the Pro-Housing Communities pledge, which will see the village implement various actions to help local affordable housing needs was passed by the village board.

However, during the vote, one trustee pointed out that low salaries combined with high taxes severely limit what local people can afford for rents and she urged the board to consider keeping taxes low as well.

The pledge

The resolution passed by the board, like one passed by the town board last month, seeks to address the housing crisis by designating the village as a “pro-housing community.”

Under the designation the village would try to incorporate regional housing needs into future planning decisions and streamline permitting for multifamily or affordable housing development.

The pledge could also presumably allow the municipality access to grants and other developments to address local affordable housing needs.

“Communities across the state are signing on to this. There are many benefits to doing so and the state will open themselves up for many grant opportunities. I also truly do see the need in our community,” said Village Mayor Alexandra Jacobs Wilke during her comments at the top of the meeting.

The vote

The resolution passed with four votes in favor (one trustee was absent from the meeting).

However, Village Trustee Monique Tirion urged the village to help out low income renters by also keeping taxes low.

“I’m going to support this but I want to point out that I was looking up for people who earn an hourly income of, god forbid, of $16 an hour, and you’re not allowed to pay more than 30 percent of your income towards rent.They can afford $600 rent per month,” said Village Trustee Monique Tirion.

“So I would have hoped that somewhere in the back of our minds . . . that we can somehow keep the taxes a bit lower than the tenth highest in the state of New York in Potsdam as well. But I support it otherwise,” she said.