Thursday, November 5, 2009

Padavan vs. illegal occupancy

From the Queens Gazette:

State Senator Frank Padavan has complained often and forcefully to Department of Buildings officials that numerous homes in the Jamaica Estates area are illegally housing St. John’s University students and endangering the community and students alike, but no official action has been taken to remedy the situation.

Last week, he pleaded in a letter to Queens DOB Commissioner Ira Gluckman:

“Your office must take action not only to protect the community, but also to protect the young students who are residing in conditions that may be hazardous. Many are living in basement or attic rooms, or in unsafe and improperly constructed illegal additions, without proper ventilation and/or exits in the event of fire or some other emergency.”

Padavan asked Gluckman to review department procedures “and provide us with a plan which will provide the community and ALL the residents proper housing, proper protection from abuses and dangerous conditions, and give us all a good, peaceful and safe quality of life”.

Copies of the October 26 letter also went to Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Borough President Helen Marshall, citywide DOB Commissioner Robert Li Mandri, Community Board 8 and several local civic associations.

As of yesterday, Gluckman had not responded in any way to Padavan, so the lawmaker said his next move would be to go directly to Mayor Bloomberg.

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, that problem will be fixed. I've been in touch with the DOB for the past four years about all the illegal apartments in my neighborhood and nothing has changed.

Patrick Sweeney said...

When the "victim" is forking over more that $1k a month to the perpetrator, and happy to do so, it's going to be tough to enforce this. The indirect effect on the community as one of single family homes? That horse fled the barn a 10 or 20 years ago, and home owners are just going after their piece of this illegal occupancy pie as their neighbors are.

Anonymous said...

God bless Frank...but Bloomberg will blow off his "fellow" Republican (like many others before) after going through some motions.

The Senator always tries hard but usually winds up with NYC peeing al over his shoes.

Ching Chow said...

A simple solution:

Instead of wasting scads of tax money pandering...require English to be spoken as a condition for voting.

No speekee English...no votee!

Ching chow said...

So sorry...meant for other post on translators.

Anonymous said...

This problem is a b*tch to solve because being homeless is dangerous too.

The brother of a childhood classmate was literally roasted alive in an illegal attic apartment when he made the mistake of having a cool beer to cope with the heat instead of getting out entirely.

The beer did nothing more than worsen his dehydration and knock him unconscious so that he was unable to fend off heatstroke.

Cornfused said...

This problem is a b*tch to solve because being homeless is dangerous too.

The brother of a childhood classmate was literally roasted alive in an illegal attic apartment when he made the mistake of having a cool beer to cope with the heat instead of getting out entirely.
________________________________________

Do you realize that your post makes no sense? First you say that homelessness is dangerous, implying that these illegal housing units are a necessary evil. Then you tell us that you knew someone who died because he was in an illegal apartment and a fire killed him while he was drunk. Perhaps you should put the can down and think before you post. Hey folks, see how alcohol can mess up your mind??!!?!?!

Anonymous said...

Padavan rocks. He is one of the best we ever had here. Gennaro plans to run against him again next year. Padavan has 100% my support

Anonymous said...

Padavan is great... but he hasn't done a thing for over development. And don't tell me its because its not a City issue... this guy has clout.

To boot - he is a former Buildings Commissioner!!!

Anonymous said...

"but he hasn't done a thing for over development. And don't tell me its because its not a City issue... this guy has clout."

I am pretty sure that Padavan would be a lot more effective if he didn't have to fight off the team of tweeders such as Ackerman, the Staviskys, Skunkler, and the usual gang of idiots and thieves.

Anonymous said...

the usual gang of idiots and thieves.

i.e Claire Shulman?

Anonymous said...

Soon your going to have like they have in Iraq and Afghanistan. Turn in your neighbor and get X amount of dollars.

Anonymous said...

Padavan is just another Albany hack. What does he do, really?

Anonymous said...

No, to the person who implied that I was inebriated when I posted, I suppose you might stop sniffing glue.

Have you ever heard of the expression, "Damned if you do, damned if you don't?" That's what often happens in the real world.

Obviously the blunt instrument comes easier to you than any nuance.

Anonymous said...

Have you ever heard of the expression, "Damned if you do, damned if you don't?" That's what often happens in the real world.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

What has that got to do with the fact that your post was self-contradictory and made no sense? Perhaps if you actually tried to hone your writing skills...

Boy. for someone who posts anonymously, the comment certainly got your panties in a twist!

Anonymous said...

I hope Padavan's letter gets the attention it deserves. Illegal conversions aside form dangerous cost the city a lot of money in city services such garbage collection, schools etc.
I believe that Saint John's University is in bed with the DOB/ Bloomberg administration. The SJU secret dorm was built in spite of the many legitamate construction/infrastructure concerns. It was approved by the Mafia backed DOH building inspectors assisted by SJU grad lawyers.

Anonymous said...

The SJU secret dorm was built in spite of the many legitamate construction/infrastructure concerns. It was approved by the Mafia backed DOH building inspectors assisted by SJU grad lawyers.

Excellent point!

Anonymous said...

Perhaps if you honed your writing skills...

Perhaps if you read thoughtfully and considered what another was saying instead of concentrating on acid remarks.

I'm sure you're a joy in private conversation too. How hard is it to realize that there are problems in the real world that don't admit of easy solutions because no matter what you do, you hurt someone?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps if you honed your writing skills...


Get a life!

Anonymous said...

I complained about an illegal conversion in ridgewood. There were like 10 separate households in a single 2 family house. The landlord was renting to every pile of crap he could find. Ex cons, illegal aliens. The DOB repost shows an inspector showed up. was denied access. and never came back. Denied access along with a few hundred dollar bills i'm sure.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps if you read thoughtfully and considered what another was saying instead of concentrating on acid remarks.

Get a job (that doesn't require organized thought).

Anonymous said...

Ching Chow said...
A simple solution:

Instead of wasting scads of tax money pandering...require English to be spoken as a condition for voting.

No speekee English...no votee!
______________________

Yes, yes... this would absolutely have an impact on overdevelopment issues. Let us change the Constitution to limit the freedoms and rights of American Citizens.

Crapper - even YOU have to be embarrassed with some of your followers.

Anonymous said...

"Get a job (that doesn't require organized thought)."


"Get a life!"

Excellent ideas. I hope that the person or persons who posted this feel free to take their own advice.

Anonymous said...

the dob is required to make two calls on illegal occupancy sites. if the owner does not respond to the violation notice,the dob never returns.

most serial violators know this game. constant reporting is a must. do it anon. & from a pay phone.
have many quarters with you.

i would like to see an automatic tip to the n.y.c./n.y.s. dept. of taxation ,regarding non -response to the dob.calls. i doubt that the serial violators are paying income tax on their scam. the fed. i.r.s. should be notified.

"neighbors",who are cheating, are placing the higher tax burden on the honest property owner.your block then is transfered into a "dormitory" area. the cheater has contempt for the law that you need to follow ,for block stability. he counts on your decency and not being a "whistle blower".all thieves do......stay anon........

Anonymous said...

Seems lika Padavan is riding on the Thompson bandwagon.
If an inspector did get in on an appointment, and only one person is home what vioaltion can a DOB inspector write when all he sees are bedrooms ?
These are students so I'm sure they didn hire plumbers, carpenters etc. to build anything.
I'ts not always about bribes folks.

Anonymous said...

why not begin a Q.C. listing of serial illegal conversion violators ? it could copy the "AMW" program begun by J.Walsh. after a waiting period of no action by the d.o.b.,list the address on Q.C. the list would be turned over to the district CM. if no results,the list would be turned over to the I.R.S.,N.Y.C/N.Y.S. DEPY.OF TAXATION.

a civilian blog/core, to rid our blocks of the tax cheaters.