Anxious about the prospect of buying your first home? Need mortgage counseling before making your first purchase? Worried you won't be able to afford to live on Long Island?

Senator Kemp Hannon (R-6th S.D.) and the Long Island Housing Partnership invite you to attend a free forum on the ins-and-outs of purchasing a new home and all you need to know. This event will be held Wednesday, October 15, 2008, from 7-9 p.m. at Levittwon Hall, 201 Levittown Parkway, Hicksville. To reserve a seat, call Senator Hannon's community office at 739-1700; or e-mail hannon@senate.state.ny.us. Pizza and soda will be served.

This forum will offer information on the Home Ownership and Economic Stabilization for Long Island Program (HELP Long Island), created thanks to $25 million Senator Hannon secured to assist Long Island businesses retain and recruit employees and keep our young people here, and to address the region's shortage of housing.

HELP is a first-of-its-kind public/private partnership that provides a 3-to-1 matching grant to eligible home buyers employed by participating Long Island businesses. Eligible buyers can use the funds to rehabilitate existing homes purchased through the down payment assistance program and for affordable housing in new developments. Meanwhille new homeowners can get up to $60,000 in upfront assistance grants. For more information on the program, visit www.lihp.org/help.aspx.