6/6/2016 - Search Warrants Produce Multiple Summonses at Two Huntington Station Houses
Huntington Station -- Town of Huntington Code Enforcement officers, working with Suffolk County police, recently executed search warrants at two locations suspected of having illegal apartments and, having discovered multiple violations of Town code, issued a total of 17 summonses.
Code Enforcement became aware of the first location, 104 W. 21st Street, after Code Enforcement officers drove by the property several months ago and noticed a large number of cars parked outside, litter and debris strewn about the property and a fence in disrepair. Subsequently, the code enforcement officers learned that there were multiple apartments in the structure. The search uncovered three apartments in a single-family dwelling.
The Code Enforcement officers issued a total of 11 summonses, for: no certificate of occupancy for a three-family dwelling; no certificate of occupancy for a first floor apartment, no certificate of occupancy for a finished basement; no certificate of occupancy for a basement apartment; no certificate of occupancy for a second story addition; no certificate of occupancy for a rear deck; no rental registration permit; litter and debris; fence in disrepair; bug infestation; and detached garage in disrepair. Notices of violation were issued for missing smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and for electrical hazards. The basement apartment, first floor apartment and second story addition were found to be unfit for human habitation, and placards were placed on the building because of that.
At the second location, 46 E. 12th Street, the issues center on a detached garage that had been illegally converted into a dwelling. A total of six summonses were issued, for: two dwellings on one lot; dilapidated structure (garage); illegal change of use (garage to dwelling); illegal dwelling; maintaining a garage as a habitable space; and litter and debris. Because there were no municipal authorizations for the conversion of the garage to habitable space, the structure was declared unfit for human habitation and a placard was placed on the garage. Notices of violation also were issued for a missing smoke and carbon monoxide detector and no rental permit.
At both locations, the Town provided the tenants with phone number they could call to seek emergency housing.
“These two cases exemplify the stepped-up code enforcement efforts to crack down on illegal housing in Huntington Station, in coordination with the Suffolk County Police Department,” Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said. “The Town understands how illegal, substandard housing affects the community’s quality of life and we will continue to identify locations where property owners are violating Town code and will take appropriate action.”
The summonses are returnable in Third District Court.