Affordable Housing, Playground Expenses at CDA

The waiting list for affordable-housing vouchers and payment approvals for the companies that worked on the recently-opened Shorefront Park Playground were discussed at the Village of Patchogue's Community Development Agency (CDA) meeting on Thursday. The next CDA meeting is scheduled for Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.

Section 8 Voucher Waiting List To Be Updated

For administrative purposes, the Village of Patchogue is reassessing its waiting list for Section 8 vouchers for affordable housing.

Three years ago, the village started the list for people requesting Section 8 vouchers and in the one week it was open, approximately 1,600 people from across the country applied. Marian Russo, executive director of the CDA, said the list is still quite large.

"It's hard to get a Section 8 voucher," Russo commented. "The need is incredible out there."

Low-income families use Section 8 vouchers, distributed by state and local housing agencies, to help cover the cost of housing. The vouchers are federally funded and can cover up to 70 percent of a family's housing costs.

There are 950 households still hoping to acquire a Section 8 voucher from the Village of Patchogue, according to Russo, who added the CDA staff is "undertaking a purging of the waiting list." This, she said, would update the system, helping to weed out those who no longer need the vouchers.

The village will be sending out notifications to those on the waiting list, asking them to confirm that they are still seeking Section 8 vouchers.

"Last year, we [distributed] 171 vouchers, but this year we were only able to fund 160," Russo said, adding the CDA already has addressed the needs of all the Patchogue resident applicants with disabilities, and is now going through the rest of the village residents.

"We're almost done with the people who live and work in the village," Russo said. "Now we're about to start with those who are outside the village and are disabled."

Stating that the Village of Patchogue is not in as serious a condition as other communities, Russo noted that the landscape is changing for those who are in need of housing.

"It used to be first-time homeowners [who applied for Section 8 vouchers]," Russo said. "Now it's people who've owned their homes for 10 to 20 years."

The village does not anticipate re-opening the Section 8 voucher waiting list anytime soon, according to Russo.

Payments Made for Shorefront Park Playground Project

Two invoices were approved in connection with the Shorefront Park Playground project. American Recreational Products will receive $40,712 for installing the rubberized ground covering for the playground, according to Russo. In addition, Louis Barbato Landscaping, which installed the playground equipment, will be getting $33,000 once the village receives a maintenance bond, which guarentees against defects for a certain period of time, Russo noted.

Façade Improvements Completed

The Patchogue CDA's façade improvement project for South Ocean Avenue and Main Street has been completed. At a cost of $48,998, the CDA was able to install signs and awnings along several storefronts, including three on Main Street and about six along South Ocean Avenue, according to CDA Chair David Reese.

Special Report To NYS Comptroller Approved

Giving an overview of the projects and activities of the past year, from June 1, 2009 to May 31, 2010, the CDA approved an annual report that soon will be filed with the New York State Comptroller's office. Included in the document will be accomplishments such as the opening of the new Shorefront Park Playground, projects that utilized community development block grant funds, and other local services provided by the CDA.

The state comptroller's office is responsible for making sure tax money is used to effectively and efficiently promote the common good. 

Updating Of VFW Hall On Hold

The CDA hopes to have an answer by the next meeting as to whether it can use federal community block grant money to install an elevator in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall on Edwards Street. The elevator would allow handicap access to the basement of the building. The CDA did not yet have an estimate for the project.