(Mineola, NY) In keeping with his recently announced initiative to help curtail the proliferation of unsafe and illegal multi-family residences throughout Nassau County, Assessor Harvey Levinson today revealed that he has started the process of reclassifying four confirmed illegal multi-family dwellings in East Meadow, Franklin Square, Westbury and Elmont from Class 1 (Residential) to Class 4 (Commercial) for taxation purposes.
"This is an historic moment for towns, villages and cities that have been struggling to curtail or eliminate illegal multi-family accessory apartments in Nassau County," stated Assessor Levinson. "My initiative provides local authorities with a significant enforcement tool that will require violators to pay on average 2 ½ times more in property taxes which should make these illegal units unprofitable to maintain."
The most notable properties currently being processed for reclassification in November 2004 are homes located on Post Street in East Meadow and Doris Avenue in Franklin Square. In the course of police investigations surrounding a murder in East Meadow and an attempted murder of a police officer in Franklin Square, police investigators discovered that the owners of the properties converted their homes into illegal rooming houses. Each property was revealed to have four or more families/individuals renting rooms in violation of building codes and local zoning laws. Police reports indicated that the East Meadow property owner rented three basement and two upstairs rooms to five individuals, while the Franklin Square property owner rented four second floor rooms to four different individuals and subdivided the first floor among two separate families.
The Westbury property located on Princeton Street was selected for reclassification after village court documents revealed that 19 adults and five children resided in the single-family residence and 11 pleas of guilty were entered by the owner/landlord charged with violating local zoning and building codes. The court also found a minimum rent roll of over $27,000.
The Elmont home located on Roquette Avenue was selected based on findings by the Elmont Quality of Life Committee, 64 calls for police service since 2000, and the presence of six electric meters on the single-family dwelling.
In each case, property owners were provided with written notice that reclassification procedures have begun from the Department of Assessment and are afforded the opportunity to challenge the findings and request an inspection of the residence by an assessor or building inspector.
"Residents should understand that the Department of Assessment is not - in any way - assuming enforcement authority for local building and zoning laws of the towns, villages or cities," concluded Assessor Levinson. "My obligation as county assessor is to ensure the integrity of the assessment roll by making sure that properties are assessed fairly and as accurately as possible in accordance with its designated use.
"As I move forward with my initiative, it is my hope that elected officials at all levels of government will begin a serious dialogue to develop plans to create affordable housing and legal apartments in under-utilized downtown areas, abandoned strip malls, and low wealth communities. Clearly, the need exists and should be addressed." |
