Politics & Government
Vacant Houses In Brookhaven Must Register Under New Law
Fee of $250 required of property owners of abandoned homes.
A “Vacant House Registry” has been unanimously adopted by Brookhaven town board Tuesday, which the town says will combat abandoned houses and buildings in neighborhoods.
The law requires owners of vacant properties to register with the town by paying a $250 fee, and providing contact information for whomever is responsible for maintaining it. The town says similar laws exist in major cities such as Boston, Chicago and Minneapolis, as well as Babylon town on Long Island.
“These dangerous eyesores threaten the quality of life of the people who live nearby and seriously affect the property values of the other homes in the neighborhood,” Romaine said in a release. “All of them are owned by someone - a bank, a corporation or some other entity.”
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Failure or refusal of a property owner to register within 30 days after they become due results in a fine of $1,000 to $15,000 for each.
Residents are able to report possible housing and property violations using a mobile app the town released in September as well as by calling 631-451-TOWN during business hours of 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. This registry was first announced by Town Supervisor Ed Romaine as part of a September press conference in front of a boarded up house in Coram.
What are your thoughts on this registry? And what vacant properties do you think should be on it? Talk about it in the comments below this post.
Residents are able to report possible housing and property violations using a mobile app the town released in September as well as by calling 631-451-TOWN during business hours of 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. This registry was first announced by Town Supervisor Ed Romaine as part of a September press conference in front of a boarded up house in Coram.
What are your thoughts on this registry? And what vacant properties do you think should be on it? Talk about it in the comments below this post.
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