The Town of East Hampton has announced that attorney P. Edward Reale will provide special counsel services to support the Town’s ongoing and expanding housing initiatives.
Under the proposal, Reale will assist the town board, the housing director, and the housing department in advancing affordable and workforce housing projects, managing transactional matters, and drafting housing-related legislation. The arrangement will also include providing general municipal and real estate legal advice as needed.
Reale, a Wainscott-based attorney, has served as municipal counsel to several Suffolk County towns and remains active in housing development and rehabilitation programs across the East End. He previously served as town attorney for the Town of East Hampton.
He co-founded and served as counsel to the North Fork Housing Alliance, a nonprofit organization based in Greenport that owns and manages affordable housing across the region. Reale also played a key role in the development and transfer of the Whalebone Woods affordable housing development, worked closely with the East Hampton Housing Authority, and helped establish the Sag Harbor Community Housing Trust.
“This work is about ensuring that the people who teach in our schools, protect our safety, care for our families, and keep our local businesses running can continue to live in the community they serve,” said Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. “Ed’s expertise will help the Town take the next steps in getting more housing built and available to those who need it most.”
Councilmember Ian Calder-Piedmonte, who serves as town board liaison to the housing department, added, “We’re fortunate to have someone with Ed’s background and local perspective helping to advance the Town’s housing goals. His familiarity with East Hampton’s past and present housing efforts, as well as his experience with similar initiatives across Suffolk County, will help ensure we continue to make steady, meaningful progress.”