Illegal Housing Crackdown In Riverhead Nets 5 Living In RV: Town

RIVERHEAD, NY — A homeowner in Riverhead is facing 30 town code violations after an illegal housing crackdown, town officials said.

According to Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar, town code enforcement officers and police, responding to complaints by neighbors and after "multiple instances of surveillance," executed a search warrant Tuesday at a home located at 554 Raynor Avenue owned by Patricia Sapienza-Brown.

Investigators discovered five individuals living in an unregistered Bounder
recreational vehicle, which was used as permanent housing — with electricity, water and wastewater discharge connected for service as an independent and distinct dwelling unit, a release from Aguiar said.

Along with the RV, code enforcement officials also reported that three individuals were residing in a detached garage structure that had been illegally converted to living space without permits or approvals from the Riverhead building department, the release said. The garage contained a living room area, two bedrooms, a bathroom and a makeshift kitchen area, Aguiar said.

Numerous violations of town and state building, fire and zoning codes were documented and resulted in 30 town code violations issued to Sapienza-Brown, town officials said

"These violations not only represent a risk to the safety and welfare of the residents of the subject property but to the residents of the surrounding area, as well," Aguiar's release said.

Riverhead town attorneys intend to pursue any action necessary to "immediately ban the use of the RV and detached garage as living areas" and remediate violations, the release said. "I commend the town attorney, his staff and the code enforcement officers for their efforts in combating these types of dangerous and hazardous living conditions," Aguiar said.