Farmingville, NY – On July 11, Councilwoman Jane Bonner and Councilman Michael Loguercio were at 48 Avon Lane in Middle Island as the Town demolished an abandoned “zombie house.” The house, which was vacant for nearly eight years, had become a home to squatters and it sustained fire damage. The house was also the source of resident complaints leading to numerous Town of Brookhaven housing code violations. The property was cleared of all debris and will be graded by the Town. It was demolished 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. The house was demolished by the Town of Brookhaven’s Department of Recycling and Sustainable Materials Management.
Councilwoman Bonner said, “This is a very nice neighborhood where people take pride in their homes and it’s a shame that a house like this was left here to deteriorate. I commend our Law Department for cracking down on negligent property owners and for helping to clean up neighborhoods in my district and throughout Town of Brookhaven.”
Councilman Loguercio said, “This house has been a dangerous eyesore in the neighborhood for too long, driving down property values and threatening the quality of life in the neighborhood. We have been very aggressive in our efforts to rid neighborhoods of these eyesores and will continue to demolish them throughout the Town.”
Division of Public Information - Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill
Farmingville, NY 11738
Phone: 631-451-6595