Police to Begin Inspecting Homes For "Illegal Tenants"

The community of Westbury, NY has announced the creation of a new police task force to inspect people’s homes unannounced in search of “illegal tenants.” The town of 15,000 will hire two new police officers and recently held a town meeting about the new “zero tolerance policy” against renting rooms illegally. The task force – aptly named the Housing Enforcement Unit – is calling these tenants “unpermitted guests.”

A presentation at the meeting explained the dangers of property owners renting out rooms or parts of their homes without legal permission. The dangers presented were vague – mostly issues with overnight parking, and a complaint about a neighbor harboring a tenant in his garage. Nevertheless, Mayor Peter Cavallaro has made a statement that “landlords…are making money by victimizing people in the community and by victimizing the community as a whole.”

Supporters of the task force claim that it just “isn’t fair” that some people have tenants when everyone else is paying their $9,000 in yearly property taxes by themselves.

The HEU, as part of the Housing Enforcement Program, will conduct inspections without notice, increase housing violation fines, raise fees, and add new regulations for absentee landlords. A poster displayed at the town meeting stated menacingly, “Modify Search Warrant Law to Eliminate Prior Notice. Aggressively Use Warrants and Housing Sweeps on a Regular Basis — DONE!”

Thomas Liotti, the Village Justice, says this is about helping people find habitable housing. But he also adds that it is about “respecting property rights” – though it will punish those who choose to use their property in a particular way. And if someone chooses to live in another person’s garage, that’s their choice.

The town has begun distributing fliers about the HEU, including an email address and phone number for snitching on neighbors.

See a channel 12 newscast about the HEU below.

Via: Liberty Doll