Rockland lawmakers propose bill to make illegal housing conversions a felony

[hrmjustin]

Steve Lieberman, TJN

A New York state law has been proposed to make it a felony to endanger first responders by renovating housing into apartments without permits or buildings into schools without approvals and safety equipment.

The proposal creates the crime of "reckless endangerment of a peace officer, police officer, firefighter or emergency medical services professional."

The measure would make it a crime to knowingly alter buildings without a permit and convert or subdivide a building in violation of the state fire prevention and building codes or other laws. The proposal was introduced by Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-Clarkstown, with support from Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, D-Ramapo. Sen. David Carlucci, D-New City, introduced the bill in the Senate.

The proposal addresses the rising number of illegal housing conversions and private schools. On several occasions, firefighters in Rockland, New York City and Mount Vernon, for example, have been injured responding to fires when they run into locked rooms created by adding walls.

http://www.lohud.com/story/news/local/rockland/2014/03/07/rocklands-state-lawmakers-propose-bill-making-illegal-conversions-felony/6172687/

[JimDandy]

1. I'm torn on this...

We need more affordable housing... often why these conversions happen. On the other hand, renters in these converted units are often taken advantage of by the landlords, or actually in danger from conditions that didn't meet code.

[hrmjustin]

2. I agree with the law. Too many stories of people getting killed or hurt from

Fires in illegally converted housing.

[Boom Sound 416]

3. Your second point it right on

It's those that skirt the permit process I order to house folks illegally and charge enormous rates for slum conditions.

Often these folks are undocumented which prohibits them from complaining.

I was work a gig with fire fighters in SF and saw it a lot in the mission district. 700 bucks a month for a family of 6 or more to share one room with a wall sink. And backing a water closet style toilet. No shower.

[djg21]

4. My guess is that the proposed law targets Kiryas Joel

and the other insular Hasidic communities in the area.

[hrmjustin]

5. Maybe in Rockland county but this is an issue in the city as well.

[no_hypocrisy]

6. I agree with the law.

It doesn't prohibit ALL conversions, just those without permits to make sure the construction is sound and safe.

I lived in perhaps the oldest house in Suffern 25+ years ago. It was the home of Thomas Suffern, converted into a rooming house. When I lived there, it had eight bedrooms and two bathrooms. The new owners got greedy and converted the living room into two more bedrooms, the dining room into another bedroom, and the attic into two more bedrooms, all without permits.

The house only had original electrical wiring and it wasn't long before there was an electrical fire that destroyed one-quarter of the house and it was inhabitable consequently. It was knocked down. And what a shame. It really was a beautiful place with a beautiful property.

[djg21]

7. I agree.

The law as I understand it is one of general applicability. I speculate that the big issue for Rockland is the Hasidics, who have extremely large families and seem to share the same "bleed the beast" ideology and disdain for law had by many other fundamentalist religious sects. The friction between the Hasidics and surrounding communities is understandable.