Long Beach NY- On December 23, 2002, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi paid a Holiday call on Elizabeth, a single mother of three, one of 47 previously homeless families in Nassau County that have been placed in permanent housing this year by the County's Section 8 Program. Vouchers for the permanent housing are funded and distributed by the County's new Family Unification Program.

"It's heartwarming to witness the success of this program that was deemed a 'Troubled Agency' just one year ago by the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal," said County Executive Suozzi. "We are proud to have been able to keep so many families together."

Due to inefficiencies and mismanagement of the program, the state assumed the role of Interim Administrator for the County's program in January. After hiring a new experienced staff and relocating the offices to a County owned building, the County, now under the Suozzi Administration, resumed control of the program on May 1, 2002.

"In addition to placing these families in homes, the staff has had many accomplishments in a short amount of time and initiated new programs such as Project-Based Vouchers, Section 8 Homeownership/Housing Counseling for First Time Homebuyers, the First Home Club, the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, and the Family Unification Program,"stated Suozzi.

Elizabeth was evicted from a 3-bedroom home in Bellmore after losing her job and falling into arrears with her rent. A single mother, her job loss was a result of taking care of a young daughter who was frequently hospitalized following a hit and run accident. In September the family was placed in a motel by the Department of Social Services. Like all homeless parents, Beth was at risk for losing her children to foster care due to a lack of stable housing. They moved into their new home last month, in time for the Holidays, thanks to the diligence of the County's Section 8 staff.

Temporary housing costs the County hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. The placement of almost 50 families into permanent homes has saved the program over $600,000 this year.