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Residents and advocates urge Suffolk County to expand housing supports as shelters strain
Summary
Multiple public speakers told the Legislature that shelters and Department of Social Services responses are inadequate amid rising homelessness, cited high emergency housing costs, and urged new models and clearer use of opioid‑settlement funds to support services.
Speakers at the Suffolk County Legislature’s July 30 public portion urged urgent action on homelessness, criticized Department of Social Services (DSS) responsiveness, and called for new approaches to permanent supportive housing.
Advocates and service providers described a system stretched thin. Lisa Sevimli said families are renting campers and staying in parks while emergency hotel placements average thousands per month; she urged county investment and exploration of pilot programs like Denver’s basic income experiments that provide upfront assistance. "The cost of renting now is up quite a bit," she said, noting working households are increasingly at risk of losing housing.
Frontline providers reported difficulty arranging shelter placements when shelter rosters are full. Robert Kellett of Long Island Connections said calls to DSS often go unanswered or leave families in limbo, and he urged a roundtable to review alternative models such as Community First Village in Austin, Texas — a permanent supportive housing village he described as scalable to local conditions.
Family testimonials underlined the stakes. Rebecca Fischer and Stephen Morvillo described being separated from partners and children after shelter transfers and said caseworkers delayed or denied coordinated placements; Legislator Leslie Kennedy’s staff and the Human Services chair offered to follow up with social‑services staff after the meeting.
Speakers also flagged concerns about the management of opioid settlement funds. Linda Ventura of Thomas’ Hope Foundation said county staff are doing good work but are overwhelmed, and she criticized delays and administrative complexity that jeopardized payments to service providers who deliver treatment and recovery services.
Legislators who heard the comments did not take new policy votes during the session but recorded commitments to follow up: a Human Services committee staffer agreed to meet with affected speakers after the meeting to gather contact information and pursue casework follow‑up. Advocates asked for clear accounting of settlement‑fund uses, expanded shelter capacity, and investment in housing-first and low‑barrier solutions.
