Department of Buildings inspectors bust a real estate agent trying to rent them an illegally converted apartment.
The illegal conversion problem is citywide, but severe in Brooklyn and Queens.
NY1 was the only news outlet there when the sting when down.
An illegal conversion is an alteration of a building to create housing without city approval. Like this apartment, many lack proper exits, have unsafe gas hookups and other safety violations.
Inspectors usually enter if someone gives them access. In this case they were allowed in, and they slapped the property owner with a violation and a vacate order.
If extreme violations are suspected, inspectors can seek a court warrant.
Last year, DOB received more than 19,000 complaints.
More than half of the complaints were in Queens.
14 comments:
A dangerous situation for all...and that includes the FDNY.....how about the city does something about this? Be more strict on this.
Why doesn't the Queens BP speak about this?
Last year, DOB received more than 19,000 complaints. More than half of the complaints were in Queens.
Silence from our politicians on this. But, in their opinion, your hard earned tax dollars are not being wasted. Not at least as far as they are concerned.
Considering they are interested in things like trans-gendered Latinos and Honduran Independence Day we do think that there are some questions you should be asking them.
There seems to be a disconnect between us and them. Come on people, lets drain the swamp.
After decades of ignoring this, unfortunately the City is not going to start enforcing the laws and making people vacate these death trap apartments. If they do, there will be A LOT more homeless people on the streets. These enforcement actions are just for show. Think about it---over 19,000 complaints. How many evictions?
They will claim they "can't get access", but if there was a known health violation or animal cruelty or something they'd get access and fix the condition. Why don't hey have the same ability for these building violations that endanger people's lives??
All the victims and beneficiaries of these conversions are democrat voters.
Catch 22!
Need to keep "those" voters happy and here in New York City.
Of course this is a show and search for more money...
No one wants to pay to hire more inspectors and then go to court to get a search warrant and then take the case to court.
The city would have to average investigating 50 a day for all 365 days a year.
They are investigating a compliant. You can't bust into someone's home in the United States because someone complains anonymously on 311 (The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution). The city has the ability to put a case together, go to court and get a warrant. Then they have to return with law enforcement and serve the warrant. If something illegal is found the city can take the case to court. In the end it would probably only cost $100,000 per per violation in total.
>> Why don't hey have the same ability for these building violations that endanger people's lives??
>You can't bust into someone's home in the United States because someone complains anonymously on 311 (The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution).
Thank god for that, or we'd all be at the mercy of the nosiest old ladies in the neighborhood.
"Illegal" violation = $100,000 in costs
Illegal immigrant =
free food (SNAP)
free lodging
free education
free museums
free healthcare
What are we doing wrong???
Just a little show for the cameras. We all know the City doesn't really want to stop these illegal apartments, we wouldn't be vibrant and diverse.
Well, nothing will be done as long as the D.O.B. inspectors get greased (receive briberies).
Chinese are very fond of buying 2 family homes with 3 bedrooms and 2 full baths and then converting the dining area in a 4th bedroom while 'remodeling" the main bathroom in a half bath while enlarging the kitchen with a portion of that bath to be able cook large dogs.
Also, they "convert" the basement and dare to put a third electric meter outside for the whole neighborhood to whiteness their illegality.
the inspectors need to go to sunnyside queens all the Asian re agents tell people they can convert the basement if it not already converted to another apartment....ive been to 11 open houses 2 fam and none could legally be converted to a 3 family so there are some easy pickins in my hood
thanks for jacking up the cost of the house so high they need the 3 rents to pay the mortgage
As long as you have a shady borough president parking her ass at the hall, this will continue to be SOP.
When have we not had crooked borough presidents?
Hmmmmm....cannot see any.
Anonymous said...
Why doesn't the Queens BP speak about this?
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Does that ass speak about any issues in the borough. Have you noticed she has spoken not once about the whole homeless shelter situation in the borough that she claims to love so much. But the problem is assholes keep putting these clowns in office.
Good
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