Mineola, NY- Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi has announced that starting this summer, the county's Department of Social Services will be consolidated into one Health and Human Services Building, housing related offices and functions. The relocation is part of the County Executive's Real Estate Consolidation Plan and was unanimously approved by the Legislature on February 23, 2003.

"We will not only be able to help people having all of the services in one location, but the consolidation plan will save the County's taxpayers millions of dollars," said County Executive Suozzi. "This Plan puts an end to illogical growth, inefficiency and waste."

The overall objective of the plan includes moving 1600 county employees to the new Health and Human Services Building at 60 Charles Lindbergh Boulevard, Uniondale. The Departments of Health, Mental Health, Social Services, Drug & Alcohol, Senior Citizens, Youth Board, Veterans Services, Physically Challenged will be located there, making it possible for the County to deliver improved government services in a cost effective manner. The County expects to sell the current Social Services building in Mineola for $30 million.

Renovating the current Social Services building would cost an estimated $46 million, making the consolidation and sale of the County's surplus real estate is more cost effective than repairing damaged buildings. Many of the County's 797 buildings suffer from severe structural damage, causing health and life safety violations.

Nassau County's real estate holdings have grown dramatically over the past six decades to support the needs of the population. Consequently, this rapid growth has resulted in inefficiencies and unneeded properties throughout the County. Presently, the County has 1317 vacant parcels of land, maintains 577 sumps, owns or occupies 797 buildings, and leases 56 facilities.

The County expects the new Health and Human Services Center to be fully operating by the end of the year.