By:Jonann Brady
Levinson has initially targeted four homes -- one in East Meadow, one in Franklin Square, one in Elmont and one in Westbury -- which have been the scene of numerous police investigations and the object of neighbors' complaints. Levinson has notified the property owners that their taxes could more than double, and dozens of other illegal homes have been targeted.
"I'm deadly serious," said Levinson at a news conference last Thursday, flanked by civic leaders and members of the police. "Government has been unable to deal with this problem."
Levinson added that his intent is not to legalize the apartments or even to collect more taxes, but to shake up owners who rent illegally and deter others from doing it.
Civic leaders have complained for years that illegal homes contribute to myriad problems, including parking issues, litter, overburdening of school systems and health and safety hazards for both neighbors and the illegal occupants.
At 64 Roquette St. in Elmont, police have responded to 50 calls in the past year and have observed six electric meters outside the house. The residential property tax on that home currently stands at $9,245.17, but will rise to $27,791.28.
Last April, a woman was found stabbed to death at 2389 Post Road in East Meadow, and during the investigation, police found three rental rooms in the basement and two more upstairs. That owners will see their taxes raised more than $16,000, from $5,706.17 to $21,767.83.
At 16 Doris Ave. in Elmont, police investigating an attempted murder found five rental rooms on the second floor and two families living on the first floor. Since 2001, police have received 40 calls from the address. Property taxes there will rise from $8,815.52 to $25,447.41.
In another egregious case, police found 24 adults and children living at 335 Princeton St. in Westbury. The tenants paid anywhere from $200 to $675 a month in rent. Taxes on that property will rise more than $16,500 under Levinson's plan.
Property owners will have an opportunity to appeal the ruling, a process that could take years, but in the meantime, they will have to pay the higher commercial tax rate, said Levinson. He also said he has given the names of the landlords to the Internal Revenue Service to investigate whether they are paying income taxes.
When asked what would happen if the owners simply agreed to pay and continue to rent rooms illegally, Levinson said that would be highly unlikely. "It's just too expensive," he said, but added that if any owners agreed to pay, then the onus would be on the town to shut down the illegal properties.
Sub: Can't do it alone
Levinson said that he needs cooperation from the towns to enforce the plan, and called on "all levels of government to join me." In unincorporated areas such as Elmont and Franklin Square, the Town of Hempstead is responsible for enforcing zoning codes, but, Levinson said, "It is their failure over the years to act" that has allowed the problem to spiral out of control. His plan, he said, does not change the zoning of property, just its tax class.
The Town of Hempstead is ready to work with Levinson by sending him lists of homes that have been issued summonses or violations, said town spokeswoman Susie Trenkle. Trenkle added that the town is considering other initiatives to toughen the enforcement codes on illegal dwellings.
Civic groups have expressed frustration with what they see as the town's unwillingness to go after illegal renters. Roy Mezzapelle, chairman of the Elmont Quality of Life Committee, said his group has submitted more than 900 complaints to the Town of Hempstead. "But the problem is not being addressed, and it's not going away," he said.
Mezzapelle said that families living illegally in the community has meant about 1,000 additional students in the Elmont school system, at a cost of $10 million to taxpayers.
Levinson acknowledged that illegal housing is a complex problem, and pointed to a lack of affordable housing in the county. He stressed that he is not going after senior citizens who rent out rooms to help pay their taxes, but will focus on landlords running "rooming houses," with four or more families living in single-family homes.
But families aren't the only ones renting rooms illegally. Nassau County has been losing its young-adult population in droves, as it becomes increasingly expensive for young people just starting their careers to find affordable rentals.
One 27-year-old man who pays $1,500 a month for an illegal first-floor apartment in Elmont said he spent months looking for an affordable, legal place to live, with no luck. Some co-ops had waiting lists of up to two years, he said.
The man, who asked that his name not be used, works with the New York City Sanitation Department and earns well under $40,000 a year. "It's almost impossible to rent in Nassau," he said. "It's hard. It's really hard."
Levinson said the county needs to take the lead in encouraging developers to build affordable housing in downtown areas and abandoned brownfields. He compared some areas of the county to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, a once blighted industrial area that has been transformed into a vibrant artists' community.
The bottom line, said Levinson, is that government needs to "stop the debate and start the action."
While community leaders recognize that Levinson's action won't end the problem, they were encouraged that he is taking a step to discourage illegal rentals. "This is the first time the county has addressed the problem," said Rosalie Norton, president of the West Hempstead Civic Association. "The town and county need to work together on this."
