Re: Debate

There is no free ride. Everyone that lives in the community pays for it. Our taxes will never go down...ever...regardless of if the apts were illegal. In fact, it's part of the infrastructure of LI. Our population supports the community, infrastructure and pays sales and income taxes. Property taxes and school taxes are not based on how many people live in your house, it's based on the dwelling. If you have 2 kids or 10 kids, you pay the same school taxes.

Once our tax structure changes and LI stops supporting upstate, then you will see your taxes go down. Fat chance.

It's only a plus keeping people here on LI. It adds to the economy. It will be a sorry day if illegal apartments are gone. People will be leaving in droves and our economy will suffer.

I think illegal apartments should be legal and that would stop making tax evaders out of some.

Message edited 6/26/2007 5:21:29 PM.

Re: Debate

I would not want to ever live in someone else's house, period. JMO

eta: as for illegal or legal apts, I am indifferent.

Message edited 6/26/2007 6:11:45 PM.

Re: Debate

I can see both sides. Aside from the claiming income issue, many houses are not built to have more than a single family there. When there are illegal apartments, I think it overburdens municipal services - sewers, garbage, traffic, schools, etc. Many more people are using services that aren't being supported by the real estate tax base.

On the other hand, there is a need for affordable housing on LI and if everyone who lived in an illegal apartment was evicted, there would be nowhere for these people to go. I also think for elderly people, it is the only way many of them can afford to keep their homes.

Re: Debate

As a homeowner, that was one thing we looked at in the neighborhoods we searched. We rejected houses that had added apartments because we did not want to rent out a portion of our house (or have to renovate it back to it's original use) so it hurt the resale value as far as selling to us was concerned.

If an apartment is illegal they could be renting to a child molester that may not be reporting his where-abouts too. If the landlord doesn't want it known that there is an apartment there, or a child molester at the address, then they would have to falsify their address or just go unreported.

But the bottom line is, it's illegal and way to many people on LI think the laws are there to pick and choose the ones that are convenient or that they agree with, and if they disagree they disregard it. It affects the quality of life and generally not in a good way.

Re: Debate

I rented quite a few in my day. Until.....I was evicted w/the rest of the house 4 mths before our wedding!
Needless to say the apt we rented after that was LEGAL! We made sure of that.

In our house now...would we rent out an illegal apt - nope. Heck we wouldn't even rent out a legal one.