FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  June 26, 2008
MEDIA CONTACT:  Randolph Yunker  (516) 571-5048

LEVINSON CALLS ON TOWN OF HEMPSTEAD TO INVESTIGATE ILLEGAL
BOARDING HOUSES AROUND COLLEGE CAMPUSES

            (Mineola, NY)  Further investigation, by Nassau County Assessor Harvey Levinson, of a recent Newsday account of an early morning off-campus robbery at a two-story home located near Hofstra University at 12 Lawrence Street, Uniondale revealed that the single-family zoned property is being used as an illegal and unsafe rooming house by seven students.

            “Given that police have confirmed the fact that the home is being rented as an illegal rooming house for college students (each paying $700 dollars a month for a private room with a lock), it is imperative that the Town of Hempstead act quickly and decisively to close the facility before another tragedy – like a fire – occurs and there is a loss of life,” stated Assessor Levinson.  “In addition, police also indicated that there are two other single-family zoned homes on the same street that are being operated as illegal rooming houses and that the basement of 12 Lawrence Street was converted into separate living quarters with no direct access to the outside.”

            According to Assessor Levinson, the practice of renting homes to college students is not limited to locations surrounding Hofstra.  “Over the years, my office has received a number of reports of suspected zoning violations of homes surrounding Molloy College,” Assessor Levinson continued.  “While the Department of Assessment has acted quickly and reclassified many private homes as commercial properties for taxation purposes, the Town of Hempstead has done little to follow up and impose significant fines or pursue jail time for unscrupulous property owners who are making tens of thousands of dollars in cash profit by operating rooming houses in single-family zoned homes.”

            In 2004, Assessor Levinson unleashed an unprecedented and highly successful administrative policy aimed at ending the profitability and combating the growth of illegally converted single-family homes to multi-family dwellings, by reclassifying them from Class 1 (Residential) to Class 4 (Commercial) property for taxation purposes.  On average, the commercial property tax rate is 2 ½ times higher than the residential rate. To date, more than four dozen homes have been reclassified as commercial property due to eyewitness accounts, fire and police reports, and assessment field division inspections and observations.

            “The facts of the Lawrence Street home have been expertly documented through police investigation,” stated Assessor Levinson.  “It is now up to the Town of Hempstead to act on enforcing its building codes and zoning laws to ensure that the property owner is brought to justice.

“I would also ask that college officials throughout Nassau County work with the towns to establish a carefully regulated and affordable off-campus housing alternative in communities surrounding our colleges and universities,” concluded Levinson.