Illegal Multi-Family Home in Port Jefferson Station Found Unfit For Human Occupancy

The Town of Brookhaven condemned a Port Jefferson Station residence recently due to unsafe living conditions and multiple fire and building code violations. On Oct. 6 a town inspector went to the home on the corner of Old Town Road and Linda Street and directly opposite to find that there was no hot water or electrical service. The residents were also cooking inside the home with a propane barbeque.

A town official said that generally an inspector is sent to the property after a neighbor or some other concerned citizen calls in with a complaint.

On the door of the home was a sign posted by the Town of Brookhaven alerting the public of multiple fire prevention and building code violations including the use of unsafe equipment and an unlawful structure. The structure was also deemed unfit for human occupancy and the home was condemned.

Two neighbors on either side of the house on Old Town Road who asked not to be named said that they hadn't heard anything about the home or noticed anything unusual about the people living there.

On Linda Street some of the neighbors had been curious about the residents and their living conditions.

"We were all concerned about the condition in the home," said one Linda Street neighbor who spoke at length about the condemned house but asked not to be identified. "We were concerned it was multi family and we're in a neighborhood."

The woman who has young kids said that she knew of two school-aged children who came to the bus stop in the neighborhood and lived in the home. She also said she noticed a lot of people coming and going from the home and there were usually multiple cars there.

At times the garbage in the backyard made for unhealthy conditions. She said that the adjacent neighbor on Linda Street had a problem with rats coming from the yard although since then the garbage has been cleaned up.

"It's a shame it's right here on the corner," she said.

In addition to condemning the home, the landlord was issued six misdemeanor appearance tickets. According to the Town of Brookhaven, since September 2008 the owner of the property had been issued a total of 15 appearance tickets including one for an illegal basement apartment.

If residents believe that a property is in violation of any Town of Brookhaven codes, they can call 451-TOWN to file a complaint.