Illegally Converted Home Found in Bay Ridge
There it is. 6705 – 7th Avenue – the illegally converted 2 family home to five family (even the garage had people living in it)
People cheered throughout the Dyker Heights, Bay Ridge area. I’m sure the Brooklyn Housing Preservation Alliance cheered because they have been fighting against home conversions for a long time and they were glad to see the owner of a conversion finally got caught.
Although I support the BHPA, I can’t cheer with you. Because these are families with kids and kids can’t be the losers to a greedy landlord.
There were 18 adults and 13 children living at 6705 7th Avenue and they are the victims of this whole situation. They were taken to a motel by the Red Cross. Then after 3 days, NYC had to provide housing for the 18 adults and 13 children. The city isn’t going to find them homes in Bay Ridge, and probably not in the same school district. Also, although I believe these people must be assisted, I believe the owner of the home should reimburse the city for this expense – not our tax dollars. Ughhh don’t get me started on my outrageous taxes…..
The reality of illegal home conversions in NYC is that renters don’t know that owners have done an illegal home conversion. The law should be that the homeowner of the illegal conversion needs to pay relocation costs for the families in the same school district. Moving expenses, rent and security should be given to the family by the home owner who tried to skirt the law. Innocent families shouldn’t be inconvenienced. I am sure that the renters could sue the home owner in small claims court, but that’s not an easy task to do. Add to that situation that many of these renters are non-English speakers and recent immigrants to this country makes this situation more difficult as well. A flyer needs to be given to Asian American Associations so that renters can be informed about illegally converted homes because no one wants to be escorted out of a house.
No one wants families to be inconvenienced because home owners were trying to scam and make more money. We know that since the home was purchased in 2010, the owner did the converting as he held a mortgage on the home and banks won’t allow people to get a mortgage on home inwhich the inspection doesn’t match the title (we purchased in 2009 and the rules were pretty strict on this).
I applaud Councilman Gentile’s bill which will fine the owner $15,000 for each unit beyond the certificate of occupancy. If the owner fails to pay then the home will result in a lien sale.
How come NYC hasn’t required a renting permit yet? The city nickels and dimes us for everything, but a renting permit will actually make the owner sign an agreement with the city to set the rental occupancy limit to a set number of people or by bedroom. Also it can set the law with the owner that enforcement officers have to be authorized to make inspections ”in an emergency” without the consent of the owner, tenant or lessee. Landlords who have to sign an agreement will watch their tenants more closely because they don’t want to get fined.
For more information about the Brooklyn Housing Preservation click here.
Hugs,
marlene
Topics: Bay Ridge, Brooklyn | No Comments »