Farmingville, NY - On June 14, Councilman Michael Loguercio was at 661 Hoffman Avenue in Bellport for the demolition of an abandoned “zombie house” that was vacant for over 10 years. It was in violation of numerous Brookhaven Town building codes and the source of resident complaints about squatters, drug dealing and other criminal activity. The house was demolished by the Town in accordance with Chapter 73 of the Town Code which provides a “fast track” to rid neighborhoods of unsafe structures. The cost of demolition and debris removal is the responsibility of the property owner, and the Town places a lien on the property that is then placed on the tax bill. The County reimburses the Town and then they collect the money from the property owner. Pictured with Councilman Loguercio (right) are a local resident; Regina Hunt and John Rogers, Chair of the Greater Bellport Coalition (second from right).
Councilman Loguercio said, “The residents who live in this neighborhood work hard to maintain their homes and it’s important that we remove the ones that negatively impact their property values and quality of life. We will continue to crack down on property owners who do not maintain their vacant houses and demolish them if necessary. Thanks to the work of our Law Department, we continue to make great progress in our effort to clean up the Town.”
Division of Public Information * Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill • Farmingville • NY 11738 • Phone 631-451-6595