Vacant Buildings

Brookhaven mandates registration of all vacant properties under Town Code Chapter 87. Unlawful School Tax Relief (STAR) tax exemptions must also be removed if applicable by owners.

Register Your Vacant Building

Please use our online vacant home registration system and remove any tax exemptions you are not entitled to receive through the Town of Brookhaven Assessor's Office.

Failure to Comply

If this violation is substantiated and has not been corrected within 30 days of the date on this notice, appropriate legal proceedings will be instituted to remedy such violation in accordance with the Town of Brookhaven Code and/or New York State Building and Fire Code.

Update to a Vacant Building Registration

If you need to update an active vacant building registration, use our convenient online request form where you can request a property be removed from our registry or request to change you local agent. Only owners may submit requests to change vacant building registrations.

Questions

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact us at 451-6504.

Report A Vacant Building

Please use our online vacant home reporting system to report a vacant home in the Town of Brookhaven!

• Town staff will follow-up to ensure the property is being maintained while it's vacant.
• We also ensure the property is safe and doesn't pose a risk to the community.

Applicable Town Code

Non-compliance with the Town's Vacant Building Registry is an offense under Brookhaven Town Ordinances.

Section: 87-3 Annual Registration of Vacant Buildings and Registration Fees

A. Any owner of any building which has been vacant far more than 120 consecutive days shall file with the Town Clerk a Vacant Building Registration. Said Registration shall be in a form prescribed by the Town Clerk, which shall include the street address and parcel number of each such vacant building and the names and addresses of all owners in accordance with subsections.

Section: 87-5 Violations Penalties

Any owner, or agent of an owner acting on behalf of the owner, who fails to register a vacant building or to pay any fees required to be paid pursuant to the provisions of this section, within 30 days after they become due, shall constitute a violation punishable upon conviction thereof by a fine in the amount of not less than $1,000.00 nor more than $15,000.00 for each failure to register, or for each failure to pay a required vacant building registration fee.

Section: 65-47 Eligibility (Tax Exemption)

Any person, bank, lending institution, or legal entity who has an interest in real property, where said real property is exempt from taxation, or a portion thereof, under New York State law or under this Chapter, and where said real property is no longer eligible for said tax exemption, the person or legal entity must notify the Brookhaven Town Sole Assessor within thirty (30) days of the date of ineligibility for said exemption.

Section: 64-48 Notification (Tax)

Notification shall be made in writing and filed in the office of the Brookhaven Town Sole Assessor.

Section: 65-50 Penalties (Failure to Remove Tax Exemption)

Any violation of this Article shall be punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000.00.