by Chris Munzing
The sparse crowd on the top floor of City Hall in Long Beach all looked around for Jean E. Gordon. Then a muscular man sitting in the fourth row sat straight up, put his hands out, then quickly put them back over his mouth, trying to control himself upon hearing his wife's name called in the Long Beach housing lottery.
Farrell Gordon later said, "When they called her name, I had to wait, because she sort of drew it out, like 'Jeanie Gordon.' I wanted to know if I heard right. Then I realized it was Jean E., and I'm lost." The smile that graced Gordon's face was soon shared by all those in attendance as the Long Beach sanitation worker found out that he would be moving his wife and two children, Farrell Jr., 10, and Katrice 7, from East Market Street to their brand new two-family home. When asked what it felt like to win, Gordon replied, "We won -- my family won."
"That's one of the joys of being in government," said City Councilman Lenny Remo as he watched Gordon being interviewed by a television crew. "To see the look on his face, it's priceless. It just doesn't get better."
Gordon and his wife were among the 46 finalists who had been picked from 124 applicants for two two-family homes, at 152 E. Fulton St. and 163 E. Hudson St. The homes were a cooperative effort of the City of Long Beach and the Long Island Housing Partnership Inc. Gordon and his family will be moving into the East Fulton Street home. Ahmed Akm of Farmingdale was the winner of the East Hudson Street home, but wasn't able to attend the drawing.
The first home selected was open only to the 19 applicants who either live in Long Beach or work in the city. After the drawing, the remaining 18 applicants from Long Beach joined the 27 applicants who neither live nor work in the city. Drawings were made from those 45 names to determine the order of the waiting list. Should either winner be unable to secure a mortgage or be unable to take the home, then the waiting list will come into effect.
The homes will be sold to the lottery winners for reduced prices, with the added rental income of the secondary unit helping to defer the cost.
Outside the main hall, Gordon called his wife, who was on her way to work and couldn't make it to the lottery. "You have your house," he managed to blurt out. He then put his hand over his face as he smiled the smile of a man with a new home for his family.
