The Public Assistance Real Property Repayment System

About the Program

Category: Financial Management (Best in Category)

Year: 2012

In light of the recent financial crisis, a common dilemma for many individuals is the repayment of bonds and mortgages. However, in Suffolk County, this dilemma has been occurring for a while under their public assistance program, which financially assists home buyers with a public assistance mortgage. Over the past few years, the county has realized that many public assistance recipients would either neglect to notify Department of Social Services regarding the impending sale of their home or forget the existence of the bond and mortgage and therefore the County was unable to immediately recover monies owed. In many cases the County Attorney’s Office would need to get involved to try to recover from the public assistance recipient, title company, or even third parties. Often the realization that the property was sold occurred years later and the County was without any legal recourse to recover. Acknowledging that the current method to recoup public assistance was inadequate, DSS reached out to the County Clerk to determine if there was a better and more efficient way of tracking properties and identifying land transfers. After several meetings between DSS and the computer staff of the County Clerk’s Office, a plan was developed using the County Clerk’s existing land record retrieval system. It was decided that a new system would be required that was user friendly for those not familiar with searching land records that would require minimal training. The new system, Public Assistance Real Property Repayment System, provides for an internet based program, allowing for access in DSS offices throughout Suffolk County. The new program provides DSS the ability to monitor, in near real time, any real property transfers connected to public assistance recipients. Suffolk County is now better equipped to recover these claims. The new system provides for an internet based program which allows for access in DSS offices throughout Suffolk County. To date, the PARPRS has identified $2.3 million of potential public assistance recoveries, with $867,000 having been recovered to Suffolk County. In a time when budgets are strained, county governments will need to look for innovative ways to recoup their money. The Public Assistance Real Property Repayment system is a great example of an efficient government plan that not only saves money but increases the quality of service that residents can attain.