Suffolk County Executive Bellone Announces Groundbreaking Of Affordable Housing Project For Veterans
Suffolk County, NY - December 14, 2017 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone today announced the groundbreaking of three new single-family homes in Central Islip that will be dedicated for affordable housing for veterans and their families. The project is the first of its kind to be built under the Suffolk County Housing for Homeless Heroes Act that was signed into law by County Executive Bellone in 2014.
“This groundbreaking shows the commitment made by Suffolk County to ending the plight of homelessness among veterans in our region," said County Executive Bellone. “These three new state-of-the-art homes will provide a stable and affordable place for our heroes to live, and I thank all of our partners for their assistance in making today possible."
Suffolk County Legislator Monica Martinez said: “Housing our heroes is more than a slogan - it is a call to action to help our veterans in need. Central Islip is proud to serve as the launching pad to build these new homes that will serve as a model across the county.”
The affordable housing project will be constructed on a plot of vacant land that was donated to Concern for Independent Living by Suffolk County in October 2015. Concern for Independent Living has assembled a development team of qualified partners that have extensive experience in the development of capital projects. Concern for Independent Living is the non-profit Sponsor/Developer and serves as the manager and on-site service provider of the project. Fusion Architecture, a New York State certified MWBE, will be responsible for architectural services and construction supervision. Belfor Long Island will serve as the general contractor.
All the homes constructed under the Suffolk County Housing our Heroes Act will be handicap accessible with three bedrooms, one bathroom, kitchen, living areas, laundry rooms, indoor and outdoor storage and ample outdoor space. All plumbing, electric, and HVAC will be high quality, efficient systems. The buildings will also conform with the standards of EPA Energy STAR New Homesversion 3.0.
Several private companies and government agencies have committed financial resources to help cover the cost of the project.
Under the Suffolk County Housing Our Homeless Heroes Act, the County Veterans Services Agency works in conjunction with the County Department of Social Services and Division of Real Property Acquisition and Management to assess the County's current capacity to provide permanent housing for homeless veterans. These agencies work to identify qualified housing developers and service providers capable of developing suitable housing to meet the needs of such veterans. The County will then work to match these veterans, developers and providers with suitable properties within Suffolk County real property inventory for development and occupancy for housing them and their families.
Ralph Fasano, Executive Director, Concern for Independent Living, said: “We want to thank County Executive Steve Bellone and Legislator Stern for making this land available and of course Governor Cuomo for providing the funding that will dramatically change the lives of homeless Veterans and their families.”
New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance Commissioner Samuel D. Roberts said: "Supportive housing is vital in helping to stabilize the lives of homeless individuals and their families, especially those who bravely served our country. Governor Cuomo continues to lead the way in the development of supportive housing projects like Housing Our Heroes, which will address an important need among veterans on Long Island."
Kathy Viard, Co-Owner of Signature Premier Properties said: “Signature Premier Properties is proud to support our Veterans and our communities through the Housing Our Heroes Project through our Signature Cares program. As a Real Estate firm serving Long Island, we know that finding affordable homes in our communities can be a daunting task and we applaud the County of Suffolk for taking action on behalf of those that have sacrificed so much for our County. The homes that are developed by Concern for Independent Living will form the foundation for countless opportunities for the Veterans that will one day call them home.”