LI’s Rising Costs and Housing Market Pose Challenges

May 18, 2026

1 min

Lawrence Levy

Lawrence Levy, associate vice president and executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies, talked to Newsday and News 12 Long Island about the region’s economic challenges and housing market.


For an article on the high cost of living, Levy explained that Long Island’s many layers of government, including 124 school districts, and residents’ expectations of quality services — from police protection and garbage pickup to senior programs — drive high property taxes.


“In other areas of the country, statewide broad-based taxes pay for a lot of services that we rely on the property tax to pay for, such as public education,” he said, adding that about two-thirds of a Long Islander’s tax bill goes to fund public schools.



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Lawrence Levy

Lawrence Levy

Associate Vice President and Executive Dean of the National Center for Surburban

Dean Levy works close with Hofstra’s academic community to shape an innovative agenda for suburban study

Suburban Spaces and DevelopmentSuburbsEducationTaxationPolitics of the Suburbs
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