Housing agency cuts bear watching

In the late 1990s, the state grew concerned about the performance of the Nassau County agency that helps some of our most vulnerable people with housing. Then the state took it over. That disruption of service must not happen again.

In 2002, the state allowed the county to regain control of the federal funds for housing, such as Section 8 vouchers -- but only if the supervision of that complex function were in the hands of very experienced people. Connie Lassandro fit that description, after years of housing experience in the not-for-profit sector, and she took over running the office.

Gradually, the agency regained its footing and expanded its services. Under contract to the state, it administers about $50 million in pass-through federal subsidies -- not county money -- to help people in crisis housing situations.

Now, the county has let go Lassandro and the entire top level of supervisors at the Office of Housing and Homeless Services. The Mangano administration says it's cutting staff, anticipating a reduction of federal funds. But these firings bear the odor of making room for patronage.

There's a real risk that entrusting this work to politically connected but less experienced supervisors could damage service to a highly vulnerable population.

Now the state's Division of Housing and Community Renewal must monitor how the changes work. It would be a shame if the state had to take over again, but that would be better than failure in this vital mission.