Owner Cited After Fire Rips Through Illegal Apartments in Spring Valley

ROCKLAND COUNTY, NY — The owner of a multi-family home in Spring Valley where a tenant was burned in a fire has been cited for numerous violations of the Sanitary Code. The blaze Sunday left 20 people homeless.

Inspectors found that the home had been illegally subdivided into a maze of apartments, according to County Executive Ed Day. Tenants said they paid a total of nearly $5,000 cash rent.

"This is exactly the kind of abuse by unscrupulous landlords that we are determined to end," Day said. "No landlord should be able to collect a hefty rent from people living in dangerous housing. No one will live in this house again until it is safe."

Health Department inspectors cited the owner, Yosef Frieder, of New Square, with 11 violations, including failure to sign up with the Rockland County Rental Registry.

Other violations included inadequate smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, illegal use of a basement as an apartment, lack of a second exit in a third floor apartment, trash and debris around the property and other issues.

The house was posted as uninhabitable.

A re-inspection will be conducted to make sure the violations are corrected. If they are not, the owner will have an opportunity to appear at an administrative hearing.

The Rockland Board of Health will have the option to assess fines.

The Rockland County Codes Initiative and the Rental Registry, which went into effect earlier this year, were part of a countywide response to years of concerns and complaints by firefighters about the dangerous conditions in illegal apartments throughout the county. The Rental Registry requires owners of dwelling with three or more units to register on-line with the Rockland Department of Health and to provide a certificate of occupancy and other information.

Click for information about the Rockland County Codes Initiative, including a confidential complaint form.

SEE ALSO

• Fines After Fire For Spring Valley Owners of Potential Deathtrap
  
• Crackdown On Illegal Housing Urged
  
• Rockland County Reports Progress Taking on Slumlords
  

PHOTO/contributed