John Sarcone Is The Right Man To Make Life Better For The 1.3 Million Residents Of Nassau County
Interview with John Sarcone
Recently we caught up with John Sarcone, Director of the Nassau County Office of Housing & Community Development, as well a good husband, father and a caring family man. We were extremely impressed with the way he managed the agency, the programs offered to the community, and his commitment to provide quality services to the citizens of Nassau County. His professional staff always showed us a lot of love and respect. Mr. Sarcone is one of the few executives we know that continued to work on projects throughout the holiday season. This we know for a fact.
During a time when everyone else had packed it up to be with family and friends, John continued to help community groups that were still in need of his assistance. In order to make Nassau County a better place to live it will take the work ethic, innovative qualities and creative thoughts of executives like John, who is prepared to fight for the people by taking a hands on approach to get the job done. It’s easy to bark orders from the sidelines, but hard to get in the ring and take part in the fight for justice, equality, human and civil rights. In the short time that we have known John we can honestly say that he is the right guy for the task to improve the quality of life for the hard working residents of Nassau County. Ok, let’s get into the interview.
Q—Where did you grow up and now reside?
A—Astoria, Queens (Born & Raised). Currently I reside in Hicksville, NY.
Q—Tell me about your school history?
A—For Grade School I attended St. Joseph’s academy (Astoria, Queens); High School, Msgr. McClancy (East Elmhurst, Queens); College St. Francis College (Brooklyn).
Q—What government agencies have you worked for?
A—Nassau County Department of Housing & Community Development.
Q—What does a normal day at the office entail for you?
A—A typical day entails meeting with staff, interacting with Federal, State and Local officials and providing high quality customer service to all residents of the County.
Q—As the Director of the Nassau County Office of Housing & Community Development can you tell us about the mission, programs and opportunities the agency offers?
A—Our mission is to support underserved communities by providing housing, suitable living environments and expanding economic opportunities principally for low and moderate income people.
Q—What are your most important initiatives?
A—The Office of Housing & Community Development is the administrative agency to implement and monitor the programs and grants initiated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. We are dedicated to building a stronger community through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME investment partnership program (HOME), Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), as well as other programs.
Q—What is it like working for County Executive Ed Mangano?
A—It has been a pleasure to work alongside Ed Mangano as he is committed to improving the lives of all Nassau County residents. County Executive Mangano is dedicated to ensuring that Nassau County is affordable for individuals of all walks of life. It has been a great experience for me to learn from his dedication to the community.
Q—What can the Hip-Hop Community do to help put an end to gun and gang violence?
A—We have welcomed Hip-Hop Against Gun & Gang Violence imitative into Nassau County to work with our youth and speak about ending violence in local neighborhoods.
Q—It was the Grand Jury decision in both the Michael Brown and Eric Garner cases that set this country on fire. It appears the people want a more transparent Grand Jury System. Do you think this is a good Idea? And if so, why?
A—I cannot comment on this as it is not under my jurisdiction nor the jurisdiction of Nassau County government. This is a State issue. All voices must be heard in government and all people must be represented. Nassau County is proud of its diversity.
Q—What message do you have for our youth and young adults who are not happy with the way they are treated by the Police?
A—Nassau County Police are proud to work with civic and religious leaders to ensure all communities are treated with fairly and with respect. Nassau County is fortunate to not have the problems that NYC is currently experiencing.
Q—Do you think this country will ever be ready to have a real conversation on Race, which we believe along with Poverty and Illiteracy, are the root causes to many of the County’s social problems?
A—Yes.
Q—What new projects are being funded by the Agency that will improve the County?
A—One of our most anticipated programs is The Down Payment Assistance Program. Making Home Ownership a Reality! Nassau County currently provides eligible first-time home buyers with up to $25,000 to purchase a new home. We will be accepting new applications by the end of this month.
Q—What advice would you have for young citizens looking to succeed in life?
A—Be true to yourself, always give it your all and follow your dreams.
Q—Can you tell the residents about future grant opportunities and timelines?
A—Federal funding from HUD is usually announced sometime in February of every year. Nassau County Office of Housing and Community Development holds the first of two public hearings to announce the funding amount given to the County. Applications for these funds are received shortly thereafter.
Q—How can someone who is in need of support get in touch with the Agency?
A—We are located in Hempstead, NY, 40 main street 11550. Phone number 516 572 1902. Website: www.nassaucountyny.gov.
