When James Yates chose to attend Hofstra University, he figured he would rely on public transportation as a way to get around. Being from Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., Yates’ only options would have been to ship or drive his car across the country.

While he often took cabs, he wound up bugging his roommate to constantly drive him around town. Yates had very little independence.

However, Yates discovered that Hofstra had Zipcars located on campus and signed up for an account. Now, when Yates needs to go somewhere, all he does is reserve a campus Zipcar either on his computer or even iPhone, swipe his Zipcar card and he’s on his way.

250 college campuses nationwide have adopted the Zipcar system (LIR Photo by Jim Mancari)

Zipcar founding

Originally founded by two Harvard University professors in 1999 as a way to cut down on excess carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles, Zipcar is a car-sharing system that currently serves over 400,000 members worldwide—making it the largest provider in the car-sharing market. “Zipsters” pay a $25 application fee, an annual fee of $50 and then pay a $7-17 hourly rate. Unlike regular car rentals, the Zipcar hourly fees cover tax, fuel and insurance on the vehicle, and the cars often have designated parking spaces.

However, the overall reaction to Zipcar in its 13-year history has been mixed.

“It’s like a gym membership,” said Richard Dinh, a former Zipcar member from Manhattan. “The more you use it, the more it’s worth it.”

But for college students, the system can be a viable transportation alternative.

“It’s much cheaper than having a car,” said Yates, a sophomore finance major. “You don’t have to pay for gas, and you don’t have to pay for insurance. It’s nice to not have your car here but to have a car when you need it.”

Zipcar seems pretty convenient for college students, right? But if that’s the case, why haven’t more campuses adopted the car-sharing system? The National Center for Education Statistics lists nearly 4,200 four-year and two-year college campuses in the U.S. Of these, approximately 265 have Zipcars—less than 6 percent.

Decreases in driving trends

This figure might be related to the fact that young people in general are driving far less and are instead increasing their use of public transportation. On April 5, 2012, the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) released a study, “Transportation and the New Generation: Why Young People are Driving Less and What it Means for Transportation Policy,” detailing recent trends in transportation habits showing the first overall decrease in driving since World War II.

The 2011 study examined Federal Highway Administration data as well as statistics from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation. These trends were compared with U.S. Census data and other forms of polling data to arrive at the conclusions.

The results reveal that the average American is driving 6 percent fewer miles per year than in 2004. Young people, defined as age 16-34, drove 23 percent fewer miles in 2009 than in 2001. That same group traveled 40 percent more miles using public transportation between 2001 and 2009.

According to U.S. PIRG, advances in technology have accounted for the decrease in driving. Many young people are plugged into social media networks constantly and can remain online easily using public transit. Additionally, technological advances in methods of travel, such as bike-sharing or car-sharing programs like Zipcar, have accounted for the changing trend.

Increasing fuel prices have also played a role in the decrease in driving. According to the latest Lundberg Survey—an independent market research company that reports fluctuations in local and national fuel prices—the average U.S. gas price per gallon rose more than 11 cents in the month of March.

Trends possibly benefit Zipcar

With fewer drivers on the road, it would seem that the Zipcar service would be experiencing a decline in business. However, it’s possible that the overall decrease in driving has benefitted Zipcar’s business, since drivers will reserve a car only when necessary rather than own one.

“I don’t think of that 6 percent (of college campuses that have Zipcar) as necessarily low,” said Phineas Baxandall, senior transportation analyst for U.S. PIRG and co-author of the April report. “It takes a while for these things to happen. I would think that the growth of car-sharing would go hand-in-hand with the growth of public transit.”

In fact, Zipcar reports that its business is steadily increasing.

“We are growing faster than ever right now,” said Mike Serafino, general manager of Zipcar University, which manages all college campuses that have adopted Zipcar and are not located in a major metropolitan area. “Last year was a banner year for us in having added about 45 new schools.”

Zipcar for college students

A large portion of Zipcar’s marketing campaign is focused directly on the demographic of college students, who are overly conscious of their spending habits. The online textbook rental company Chegg reports that students are spending almost $500 monthly on food, clothing, personal care, travel and other expenses, so this group is arguably the most sensitive to swings in the economy.

Many colleges do not allow students to have cars on campus for at least their first—and sometimes second—year in school, so having a temporary method of transportation is a popular alternative. In most cases, the minimum age to rent a car is 25, but Zipcar allows rentals to anyone with a valid driver’s license. This is particularly beneficial to international students, especially since Zipcar will accept a license from any country.

Students also receive substantial discounts for using Zipcar. Though the average hourly rate is $8-9, students generally pay $7-8 per hour. Additionally, students pay an annual fee of $25 for their first year and $35 for subsequent years—a decrease from the normal $50 annual fee. Finally, the initial $25 application fee is waived for students.

Of course, the Zipcar system is not conducive to every college campus in the country. Some campuses have ample parking spaces or other transportation systems in place, and thus Zipcars aren’t even discussed.

“If students came to me asking about a car-sharing program, we would be open to that,” said Joseph Goodrich, manager for parking and transportation services at Adelphi University in Garden City. “But we haven’t had any interest from the students.”

Adelphi pays students and employees $5 per day to park in an off-campus lot and then take a shuttle to campus due to the limited parking.

As driving trends continue to decrease, car-sharing systems like Zipcar may experience a decrease in business since people are simply driving less overall.

But for now, Zipcar—especially for college students—will continue to provide students with a convenient method of transportation when they need it.

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced May 1 the renewal of the Down Payment Assistance Program hosted by the Long Island Housing Partnership (LIHP), who is acting as an agent for the Nassau County Office of Community Development.

Funds for the program, which can be used for down payments or closing cost assistance toward a primary residence, are provided by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

The program began accepting applications May 7 and will continue to do so until July 31 or until 75 eligible applicants have been received—whichever comes first.

“The American Dream just got closer to reality for some Nassau Country residents thanks to the availability of these federal funds,” Mangano said. “This program will help first-time home buyers purchase a home that otherwise may not have ever been within reach for them.”

Nassau County in conjunction with the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development will assist first-time home buyers on Long Island.

The LIHP, established in 1987, is a non-profit housing organization that aids with the difficulty of home ownership by providing development, assistance and mortgage counseling to those seeking to purchase homes on Long Island.

“We provide funds for homes for those who can’t afford them on their own,” said LIHP President and CEO Peter Elkowitz

Due to the lack of affordable housing on Long Island, many first-time home buyers of all income levels struggle with supplying the necessary funds. The LIHP has already helped about 400-500 people, Elkowitz said, and only hopes to continue.

“The Down Payment Assistance Program funding is a win-win for first-time home buyers and communities that have been affected by the foreclosure crisis,” said HUD Region II Deputy Regional Administrator Mirza Orriols.

The Down Payment Assistance Program will provide qualified first-time home buyers with up to $20,000 in assistance towards a down payment on a single family Nassau County home.

Applicants are required to present $3,000 towards down payment and, if chosen, must reside in the home for 10 years. If they choose to no longer occupy the home before the 10-year mark, they are responsible for paying back the grant to the HUD.

The HUD defines first-time home buyers as a household that has not owned a home within the three-year period prior to the purchase of a home through the LIHP and assisted funding.  Interested applicants must have a minimum household income of $30,000 and, based on family size, gross income (including assets) and overtime, must not exceed income guidelines.

In 2011, the program supplied about 30 residents with funds for down payment or closing costs. This year, the program is expected to assist 30-35 first-time home buyers in purchasing a home, said Assistant Vice President of LIHP Joseph Sanseverino.

“The good thing is that these people are able to live where they want to live and have a house for their own,” Elkowitz said.

“By assisting low and middle-income first-time home buyers with the down payment or closing costs, they acquire their dream home and the community moves forward, lessening the impact of declining home values and abandoned properties in neighborhoods impacted by foreclosures,” Orriols said.

With many young people choosing to move off Long Island due to the high living costs, this program can potentially be responsible for keeping these people on the island.

“The program assists young families, and individuals purchase a home and remain on Long Island thereby contributing to the region’s economic vitality and quality of life,” Sanseverino said.

Applications to the program are accepted on a first come first serve basis. They are available upon request online at www.lihp.org/downpayment or through the phone at (631) 435-4710.

Long Island’s first solar panel park at Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre aims to inspire more interest in  energy conservation and environmental upkeep.

“We’re a science center that teaches about our environment, and we need to live by example,” said Ray Ann Havasy, president and founder of the Center for Science Teaching and Learning at Tanglewood Preserve.

“We really wanted to be solar run, which is happening. Our meter is running backwards so that we are being run by our solar panels just about totally.”

Havasy said she hopes more Long Islanders will consider solar energy for their homes.

A solar panel at Tanglewood Preserve in Rockville Centre (LIR Photo by Joanna Sapienza)

“Personally, I am a little bit upset about the lack of interest in solar on Long Island in general from homeowners,” she said pointing to cost-efficiency as another benefit.

“It produces enough (energy) to operate all three buildings,” Havasy said. “It really is hundreds of dollars a month.”

Many residents have noticed the panels and asked how they can make the change to solar energy and a solar or alternative energy fair may be in the works.

Joe Malcolmson, a resident at the Atria Tanglewood Senior Living, keeps the center updated. During his daily walks, he informs center employees of new findings on the preserve. Havasy called Malcolmson the “unofficial owner” of the preserve due to all his hard work.

Center teaches gardening

The center also teaches the children and members of the community the basics of gardening. It has implemented a community garden where locals have come together to grow and share fresh vegetables.

“Right now, we are growing peas, lettuce, broccoli and spinach,” said Linda DiFiore of Malverne.

Through example and by educating residents, the Center for Science Teaching and Learning hopes to eliminate environmental challenges and encourage community involvement across Long Island.

The center is also trying to tackle pollution which can be seen in the build-up of trash which is dumped close to the center.

Seasoned Long Islanders who commute to New York City offered fellow passengers some tips for keeping safe in the wake of a dramatic rise in technology theft on trains and subways.

The NYPD released a report in April detailing a 44 percent rise in technology-related thefts on New York City subways and Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) trains over the course of the past 12 months.

“It’s pretty scary to think that someone would try and hurt me for my phone,” said Noelle Alberti, 21, a Long Island resident who commutes to New York City for work.  ”I am definitely more aware of what is going on around me after hearing about the robberies.”

There have been various incidents involving iPhone theft, including one where a young man was stabbed in the chest and face at a Bronx subway after refusing to give up his phone to thieves.

Another theft in late February resulted in an 81-year-old man being pushed to subway tracks after he tried to chase down a teen that came up behind him and stole his smartphone.

Thieves often target passengers who seem most vulnerable; passengers who are engrossed in reading or wrapped up in their music. Passengers who are sitting close to the car doors are also common targets because thieves can easily grab a device and exit the train quickly.

“I try not to sit close to the doors when reading books on my iPad so that someone can’t just grab it out of my hands and run away,” said Ashley Paradiso, 18, a college student who commutes to school on the LIRR.

Long Island’s very own amusement park has opened its gates and will celebrate its 50th anniversary for this summer season.

The Farmingdale park, which opened in 1962, is a family-owned business that focuses on children and family entertainment.

Adventureland is one of just a few amusement parks on Long Island and employs about 250 workers.

“We’re putting more time and effort into making sure that the customers get what they want,” said Crystal Janke, a staff member at Adventureland. “We have coupons, and we’re trying to get everyone involved. This season, everyone’s coming in, and it’s great!”

In a recent press release, park officials said: “We are humbled at the success and support of our extended families of co-workers and guests who have proven that if you offer a great time and a fair price, you will succeed.”