HUD Regional Director Sean Moss joined Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi at a Long Island press conference to announce over $7 million in HUD funding to support the housing and service needs of the county's homeless population. Additionally, Mr. Suozzi took the occasion to also announce the creation of a 30-member committee to develop a 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness in the county. County Legislator Roger Corbin also joined the press conference.

(From Left to Right) Connie Lassardo, Director, Nassau County Office of Housing & Intergovernmental Affairs, Roger Corbin, County Legislator, Marge Rogatz, President of Community Advocates, Tom Suozzi, Nassau County Executive, Anita Aris, Marguerita Kundle and Sean M. Moss, HUD Regional Director, Region II

"Nassau County runs some of the state's best homeless programs, and we're delighted that it is going even further by joining with the county to fight chronic homelessness as well," said Sean M. Moss, HUD Regional Director for New York & New Jersey at the Mineola news conference.

According to HUD officials, those who are homeless for a year or more or multiple times over several years, are considered among the chronic homeless. The federal funding comes as County Executive Thomas Suozzi named a 30-member committee to develop a 10-year plan to end homelessness in the county.

"Now we're going to build on that success, teaming up with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to end homelessness in Nassau," said Suozzi.

Over the past four or five years, recent studies have indicated that the chronic homeless, who make up only 10 percent of the homeless population, use 50 percent of the resources. This is one of the reasons why Nassau has decided to concentrate on this group.