Good schools, like the kind that fostered the education of Samantha Garvey, aren’t cheap.
The Suffolk County, N.Y. neighborhood where she lived with her family while researching mussels for the Intel Science Talent Search boasts some of the highest property values in the country. When her parents’ lost their jobs after a car accident last February, an 11-month spiral began that ended with them checking into a homeless shelter Jan. 1.
By the end of the month, which included Samantha being named one of 300 semifinalists for the Intel contest, the Garveys moved into a three-bedroom house owned by the county, one of five available to residents at a reduced rent.
“It was perfect timing, they entered the homeless system just in time when the house opened up,” said Edward Hernandez, the county’s social services deputy director.
The story of Samantha’s achievement in the face of adversity hit the news while the county was repossessing the house for delinquent taxes. So, while she has been a model student, her parents have been the model tenants for Suffolk County’s affordable housing program.
“The fact is she had two working parents, which makes it a perfect match,” Hernandez said. “We give preference to working families who wouldn’t be able to afford fair market rents.”
Their rent will be 30 percent of their income, following federal Section 8 guidelines. Hernandez said that for most families in the program, that figures out to approximately $700 a month, compared to the market rate of nearly $1,800 per month for other three-bedroom houses in Suffolk County.
Hernandez acknowledged that given Samantha’s fame and achievements, another home would have likely been offered, but the affordable housing program would be a good fit as they try to reestablish themselves financially.
“The families that fit into the program are doing too well for a lot of assistance programs, but not able to live in the area without some help,” Hernandez said. “It’s a tough spot for a lot of people.”
The county is exploring expanding the program, and evaluates houses it acquires through tax forfeitures, which is how the first five houses came into the county’s possession.
Meanwhile, Samantha has spent a lot of time on the move, attending the State of the Union address, appearing on Ellen Degeneres’ television show and the “Today” show, but when she returned from all of that, she had a place to stay with her family.