Westchester County will get $1.1 million from a state contract agency that has leased space at a county building to administer the state's Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, County Executive Robert P. Astorino announced today.

Under the terms of the five-year-lease, the county will receive about $237,000 a year in rental income for almost 9,300 square feet of space at its building at 112. E. Post Road, White Plains. The lease was approved Thursday by the county Board of Acquisition and Contract.

The state has contracted with CVR Associates, a national company certified by the U.S. General Services Administration to manage affordable housing programs, including housing choice voucher programs. Its clients include the Chicago Housing Authority and the Boston Housing Authority, among many others.

Until this year, Westchester had been one of only four counties that had contracts with New York State to administer its Section 8 housing choice vouchers for low-income households. Astorino ended the contract in December because it was costing Westchester taxpayers $500,000 a year to administer and other providers were available to deliver the service at a lower cost.

"This is an example of how government can cut costs and maintain services at the same time," said Astorino. "With other providers available, it made no sense for the county to lose money on its contract with the state. Now with this rental agreement, much needed revenue is coming into the county and service delivery to Section 8 clients remains intact. I will continue to look for every possible way to reduce the costs of government to our taxpayers, while maintaining essential services."

To run the Section 8 program in 2011 would have cost the county $4.5 million a year, of which just $4 million would have been reimbursed by the state, leaving the county with a $500,000 loss.