Adolfo Carrion touts $11M in LI homeless funds

The departing regional head of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development made his final public appearance on Long Island Friday to announce $11 million in continuing federal funding for housing and homeless services.

Adolfo Carrion, whose resignation is effective Feb. 10, said at a news conference at the Mineola offices of the Ethical Humanist Society of Long Island that it was important to let people know what was being done to help the homeless. Carrion is leaving the post for an unspecified job in the private sector.

"You have to document the moment. You have to know that something happened. Here we are in the Ethical Humanist Society and we're witnesses," Carrion said as presented the symbolic check for $11 million to Greta Guarton, executive director of the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless.

He said the homeless, "suffer the most. And they catch up way later. We have an obligation to intervene and we do that by supporting an organization like yours."

The funding, first announced as part of national program by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan on Dec. 20, will go toward numerous programs -- including job training, health care, mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and child care.