By Andrew Hackmack
But this house has sat empty since October. That's about to change.
Evelyn O'Hara, a lifelong resident of Valley Stream, will be buying the house and moving in with her fiancŽ. "It was exactly what we were looking for," she said. "It has three bedrooms so we'll be able to have a family here."
The house was one of six foreclosed properties the county recently purchased from Fannie Mae. Gov. David Paterson and Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi announced two weeks ago a program to rehabilitate and sell foreclosed homes through the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, of which the county is receiving $3.1 million.
On Monday, Suozzi and Sen. Charles Schumer stood outside the home on Lamberson Street to further tout the program. Schumer announced that he is seeking to bring more even money to the suburbs. "These are great blocks but one bad house can ruin it," he said. "This is really a break-through for Long Island and for suburbs around the country."
Schumer added that while suburbs do have lower foreclosure rates than cities, it is an issue that cannot be ignored. An April 27 report from the United States Census Bureau, 11 percent of year-round housing units in the country were vacant.
There will be one less vacant home come the end of May when O'Hara plans to move in. She attended Holy Name of Mary School growing up and graduated from Sacred Heart Academy. The teacher at Oceanside Middle School said she is looking forward to owning a home for the first time. "It makes it affordable to us," she said of buying the home through the program.
O'Hara did not want to leave Valley Stream. She said she loves the abundance of recreation opportunities in the community and her new home puts her just blocks from both Hendrickson Park and the state park. "My fiancŽ proposed to me at the state park in Valley Stream," she said.
She learned of the program through another homeowner on Lamberson Street. O'Hara said her father did some research online and learned more about the program. She then made a call and was chosen as the home's new owner.
Before being selected to buy the home, O'Hara and her fiancŽ had to go through a homeowner counseling program which ensures that they will be able to afford the home. It also gave them tips on how to budget properly for their home-related expenses such as their mortgage, taxes and bills. "They help you to stay in your home," she said.
O'Hara's father, Jim, said he is so thrilled for his daughter. "It's a phenomenal opportunity," he said. "If this program wasn't here, she couldn't afford it. The house is in lovely shape."
Through the program, Valley Stream-based Bedford Construction Group will be using the Neighborhood Stabilization grant money to fix up homes acquired through this program. The house on Lamberson Street will need about $10,000 to $15,000 worth of work before it is ready, said Bedford owner James Vilardi. Of the six homes purchased, the average repair cost is about $35,000.
Work to be done at the Lamberson Street home includes replacing some doors, installing appliances and making sure the heating, plumbing and electrical systems are in working order. Vilardi said it was in the best shape of the six houses.
Suozzi said that this program is a partnership between the county, state and federal government, and the private sector. "It takes teamwork to make the dream work," he said.
Connie LoSandro, the county's Director of Housing and Homeless Services, said they are currently looking at 35 more houses to add to the program. She said by having the purchases of the homes privately financed, it allows the grant money to go further in rehabilitating these homes.
LoSandro noted that O'Hara's case is the perfect example of what Suozzi is looking to accomplish -- providing affordable housing for young people.
