Coalition Forms in Response to Concerned Homeowners Group

An organization aimed at protecting the rights of landlords as well as educating both tenants and landlords has formed, largely in opposition to the Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners Group.

The Coalition of Landlords and Tenants of Stony Brook say they believe their rights are being ignored and while they too are against illegal rentals, they say clarification is needed on current codes and that the codes themselves must be legal.

The Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners is a group who say they are dedicated to fighting illegal boarding homes in the area.

Kai Lee, a landlord who has rental homes in Stony Brook, formed the group in an effort to educate landlords on the codes and to stand up to what he said is “misleading information being given by the Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners.”

“They call us greedy slumlords and say we don’t care about the quality of this community,” said Lee. “A small portion of rental properties are not at code and not being taken care of.”

As of last month, Lee estimated membership at about 100.

Lee, who said he was cited in the past for violating codes, said he has made the necessary changes required and he is in full compliance. Lee said he does not reside in Stony Brook.

“I didn’t know at the time. I’ve learned all of this stuff,” said Lee who added he has no violations right now.

Lee as well as Raymond Negron,  a Mt. Sinai resident and attorney who represents some local landlords, said the new requirements are unconstitutional and that the town cannot dictate who lives in a home.

Earlier this year the Brookhaven town board voted unanimously to limit the number of unrelated people who can live in a single home from eight to four; it voted to double the maximum fines for code violations; it banned the paving of front yards to create parking lots; and it shifted the burden of proof from the town to the landlords themselves to prove that the folks living in the house are indeed related. The town has also begun to expedite legal proceedings against the most egregious homeowners.

“Statutes tell the owner you may not restrict the residency of your tenant based on relationships,” said Negron. "The state sets law based on square footage."

Lee said he believes that Asians are being discriminated against and some landlords and tenants have been harassed by members of the SBCH.

“They are not law enforcement," said Lee.

He said he would like to see the two groups resolve the issues, which according to Lee can easily be fixed and that additional laws are not necessary.

“We don’t need so many laws. We can sit down as a community. All issues at hand are easy to correct under the joint forces of our group, but they can’t use isolated incidents to put us out. They don’t have a right to do that,” said Lee. “Even though we are landlords, we are still part of the community.”