Farmingville, NY – On August 7, Supervisor Ed Romaine (left) and Councilman Michael Loguercio (right) were at 11 South Village Drive in Bellport for the demolition of a long vacant “zombie house.” The house, which had been an eyesore in the neighborhood for more than 10 years, was the source of resident complaints leading to numerous Town of Brookhaven housing code violations. The property was seized by Suffolk County as a tax forfeiture and transferred to the Town. Employees from the Town’s Department of Recycling and Sustainable Materials Management demolished the house in accordance with Chapter 73 of the Town Code which provides a “fast track” to rid neighborhoods of unsafe structures. The property will be cleared, leveled and preserved as open space. 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.
Supervisor Ed Romaine said, “The demolition of this eyesore is another example of how different levels of government work together to improve the quality of life in the community. Every ‘zombie house’ is a detriment to the community and I commend Councilman Loguercio for getting this one removed.”
Councilman Loguercio said, “People in this neighborhood work hard to maintain their homes and it’s a shame when eyesores like this one negatively impact property values and their quality of life. Thanks to the Town’s Law Department and our Department of Recycling and Sustainable Materials Management, this one is gone, and I will continue to do everything I can to rid my district of these zombie houses.”
Division of Public Information * Office of the Supervisor
One Independence Hill • Farmingville • NY 11738 • Phone 631-451-6595
