The Town of Oyster Bay, in its continuing commitment to protect the quality of life in local communities, this morning demolished a dilapidated and abandoned home in Massapequa. The vacant structure, which had remained unmaintained for years, was a longtime blight in the community and its demolition came following numerous complaints from neighbors.

Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino said, “This property will no longer be an eyesore to the residents of this community. Thanks to the diligence of our recently-formed Quality of Life Task Force and the Town’s Department of Planning & Development, we are fulfilling our promise to protect and preserve our neighborhoods.”

The home demolished in Massapequa, the most recent location of the Town’s initiatives to take action against long-time neighborhood eyesores, stood vacant and in severe disrepair. Upon the Town’s most recent inspection, it was reported that the home appeared to be a renovation project that was started and never completed. The roof was unfinished and only covered with plywood, much of which was rotting, and the entire second floor addition was covered only by tarps which had disintegrated, exposing much of the home’s interior. Much of the interior of the home had rotting household items, construction debris and trash, in addition to animal remnants, fallen ceilings and collapsed chimney and staircase.

“This zombie home was unsafe for anyone to live in as it had numerous structural problems and violated multiple sections of the Town’s building code,” Supervisor Saladino stated. “Following a lengthy legal proceeding, a judge order the Town to demolish the structure.

The demolition of this home is the latest example in the ongoing efforts of the Town’s Quality of Life Task Force, co-chaired by Councilman Lou Imbroto, in addressing such community issues throughout the Town. Among the Task Force’s vast accomplishments is the requirement for lending institutions to set up a fund on a foreclosed property in need of any maintenance or repair. As such, all costs associated with this demolition will be paid out of a trust account set up by the lending institution.

“Our residents should not have to bear such blights in their neighborhoods,” Councilman Imbroto said. “To help alleviate such situations, our Task Force worked with the Town Board to approve a comprehensive package of laws to combat zombie homes and fine property owners and lending institutions in violation of the Town Code. We continue to review concerns our residents have submitted to the Town’s Code Enforcement Bureau for lack of maintenance, and our new legislation allows us to further protect our communities.”