Long Island at a Tipping Point from Long Island Index on Vimeo.

Not much yet but hopefully soon they will, planners say (and with global warming, even more similar temperatures might be in the cards).

San Diego -- which was on the verge of becoming a failed military town after World War II -- made significant land-use and infrastructure changes to attract new businesses and vitality. Lo and behold, the city and region have become hubs for innovation and cultural life in recent years.

At the release of the 2012 Long Island Index at Farmingdale State College on Wednesday, planners put forth the San Diego model as one that Long Island should follow. Why? Because Long Island is facing serious challenges such as an exodus of young people, a lack of vibrant town centers and affordable housing, and not enough good jobs. 

The Rauch Foundation, among many others, has been urging Long Island's elected leaders to get serious about planning for a more sustainable future.

One way of doing that is concentrating desperately needed multifamily housing to reinvigorate Long Island's multitude of dying downtowns. And the idea appears to be gaining steam: According to the Index, 52 percent of Long Islanders expressed support for changes in zoning laws that would increase height limits downtown and allow apartments above stores, up from 44 percent last year.

These are exactly the kind of issues that NYLCV and our Long Island Policy Agenda support. Now, it's time for Long Island's elected leaders to act.