More Long Island Millennials Find Themselves Living With Parents
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Some say you can never go back home again, but new statistics show that more millennials are moving in with their parents – especially on Long Island.
As CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported, returning to home sweet home is about sky-high housing costs.
Regina Floriani lives with mom and dad.
"I'm 28. I'm living at home still," Floriani said. "It's too expensive to afford an apartment."
She is working at a restaurant full time, and dreaming of moving out. When asked if she felt humiliated, Floriani said, "a little bit."
Floriani and other millennials are part of a just-released Long Island Index-Rauch Foundation survey – finding four in 10 young adults are living with relatives.
"The rental market out here is nonexistent, really, is the right word for it," said coffee shop owner Arsalan Pourmand. "Especially, I have a dog, and that narrows it down to illegal basement rentals."
Pourmand owns a coffee shop in Farmingdale and yet still lives with his parents.
New Nassau County Executive Laura Curran said a solution is high on her list.
"We need to partner with our towns and our villages to talk about mother-daughter apartments and a wider range of housing options in communities where it makes sense," Curran said.
McLogan asked Curran if relaxing some of the very stiff regulations would be an option.
"As county executive I'm not the boss of the supervisors and the mayors," Curran replied, "so it's going to be a serious conversation that we are going to have to have together."
Seven in 10 millennials say they are likely to move to a less expensive region within five years.
But many millennials told CBS2 they do not want to move away, and hope that local villages and towns will help make affordable housing a reality.