October 25, 2002 -- About one in three homeless families refuses offers of public housing - sometimes because the rooms are too small or the neighborhood isn't up to snuff, city officials revealed yesterday.

Since July, about 178 families living in shelters said "no thanks" to apartments offered in the Housing Authority, while 542 apartments were accepted - a 33 percent rejection rate. Forty-three families rejected at least two apartments.

"Sometimes, there is an objection to the size of the apartment. Sometimes, folks do not want to be in the neighborhoods," said Linda Gibbs, commissioner of the Department of Homeless Services.