Brookhaven Town to Demolish a Dozen Vacant Houses

Photo (courtesy of the Town of Brookhaven): Brookhaven Town Councilman Kevin LaValle (left) and Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine at a press conference in Selden on Wednesday.

A vacant, burned-out house in Selden was demolished Wednesday and the Town of Brookhaven is set to demolish a dozen more vacant houses across the Town.

Brookhaven Supervisor Ed Romaine said the houses, coined the “Dirty Dozen” have become dangerous eyesores and a detriment to the quality of life in the community. The houses have received numerous violations issued by the Town’s building and law departments, Romaine said.

The houses will be demolished by the Town in accordance with Chapter 73 of the Town Code which provides a “fast track” to rid neighborhoods of unsafe structures. The cost of demolition and debris removal is the responsibility of the property owner. The Town places a lien on the property that is then placed on the tax bill. The county reimburses the Town and it collects the money from the property owner, officials said.

“The ‘Dirty Dozen’ are some of the most notorious, unsafe houses in the Town,” Romaine said. “They pose a danger to the community and have a severe impact on property values in the neighborhood. We will no longer allow these houses to diminish the quality of life of our residents while the property owners let them fall into disrepair. I commend our law and building departments for their joint effort to help clean up Brookhaven Town and crack down on those who violate our Town codes.”

The “Dirty Dozen” listed below, include properties from every Council District in Brookhaven Town:

1. 25 Devoe Place, Mastic

2. 33 Ashwood Drive, Shirley

3. 131 Bedford Avenue, Mastic

4. 10 Murray Lane, Coram

5. 2808 John Roe Smith Avenue, Medford

6. 1 Seacliff Avenue, Miller Place

7. 6 Frank Street, Patchogue

8. 26 Gabon Lane, Coram

9. 22 Sundial Lane, Bellport

10. 9 Middle Island Road, Yaphank

11. 5 Parnett Court in Port Jefferson Station

12. 26 Berkeley Avenue in Selden

Since taking office, Romaine has spearheaded initiatives to battle vacant house issues across the Town. In December 2013, the Town Board voted unanimously to adopt the supervisor’s legislation creating a vacant building registry. The law requires the owners of vacant property to register with the Town of Brookhaven, and provide a local point of contact for the party responsible for maintaining the property. The failure or refusal of any property owner to register a vacant building within 30 days after they become due will result in a fine of $1,000 to $15,000 for each failure or refusal to register. It is modeled after similar vacant home registries that have been adopted by municipalities across the nation in response to the foreclosure crisis.

Town officials estimate that there are approximately 2,000 vacant houses in Brookhaven Town.

In May, Romaine announced the launch of a new Town webpage and mobile app for residents to report vacant homes and commercial properties. Residents can go to the Town’s website at www.brookhaven.org/vacanthouse and follow the easy steps to submit their report. The information will be immediately entered into a centralized database which the Law Department will use to investigate. Residents can also report a vacant house by calling call 451-TOWN (8696), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.