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Babylon rental board extends hearing, refers 41 Holmes Ave. to counsel over alleged rooming house
Summary
The Town of Babylon Rental Board on July 9 extended the hearing for 41 Holmes Avenue in North Babylon to Sept. 24 and referred the matter to town counsel after neighbors alleged the house is being rented by the room and created parking and safety problems.
The Town of Babylon Rental Board on July 9 extended the hearing for 41 Holmes Avenue in North Babylon to Sept. 24 and referred the matter to town counsel for investigation after neighbors said the house appears to be rented by the room.
Board member Mark Smith moved to extend the hearing and refer the case to counsel for further investigation; the motion passed on a voice vote with members saying “Aye.”
Neighbors told the board they had repeatedly seen Facebook postings advertising rooms, described multiple vehicles at the property and said on-street and curb-line parking had created safety problems on the narrow Holmes Avenue. Dr. Joni Zangli, who identified herself as “the civic president of our poet section,” said she was speaking for more than 500 homeowners and called the property’s condition and use “a boarding house in my neighborhood.” She said, “There are multiple vehicles, sometimes up to 7,” and that parked cars narrow the street and create near-miss situations with larger vehicles such as school buses.
Baljeet Sandhu, identified as the owner/applicant, told the board he believed the occupants constituted a single family. “As far as I know, so I took it over, and they are a family,” Sandhu said, adding he had made repairs including a ramp for a disabled child. Sandhu also acknowledged he lives in East Meadow and said he would investigate the online postings and work with neighbors.
Board members said the town’s investigative unit would follow up. The board’s motion explicitly directed staff to refer the case to town counsel and continue the hearing to Sept. 24 to allow the town to determine whether the property is being operated as a multi-occupant rooming house in violation of the rental rules and the terms the owner agreed to when applying for a permit.
The board cautioned that any eventual approval would be limited to one-family occupancy if the application is ultimately granted. Sandhu was told the investigation could include review of online advertisements, parking patterns and interviews with neighbors and occupants.
