The Town Attorney’s Office, Police Department and Town Code Enforcement Office for the Town of Riverhead successfully executed a Search Warrant on August 19 at an alleged overcrowded and unsafe single-family residence in Riverhead.
At least thirteen adults and one infant were found living in the single-family residence, with at least three adult males being housed in a basement which had been divided into three makeshift living quarters where personal belongings, mattresses and bedroom furnishings were observed. The occupants of the basement were sleeping on beds in close proximity to heater/boiler equipment and exposed wiring and insulation. Investigators also found evidence that a detached, unheated garage on the property was also being utilized as living quarters.
Numerous violations of Town and State Building, Fire and Zoning Codes were observed, including overcrowding, exposed wiring, insufficient smoke detection equipment, inadequate egress paths, conversion of inhabitable space into living quarters without building permits or certificates of occupancy, and lack of rental permit.
“These violations represent a risk to the safety and welfare of the residents of the subject property as well as the residents of the surrounding area and will not be tolerated in Riverhead,” Town Supervisor Timothy Hubbard said.
Currently, the Town Attorney’s office is pursuing multiple Supreme Court actions related to town code violations and alleged overcrowding conditions, and approximately 12 pending cases in Riverhead Justice Court related to the same issue.