Brookhaven moves to demolish three abandoned South Shore houses

Brookhaven Town has set public hearings for next month to discuss the demolition of a group of abandoned South Shore homes.

At the Aug. 27 meeting, the board will vote on tearing down three Mastic homes. The first home, 118 Overlook Dr., is abandoned, lacks maintenance and is unsanitary, according to a town engineer's report.

The one-story wood frame home was built 45 years ago and has been the target of trespassers who enter the home through a back entrance, officials said.

The second home, 90 Fulton Ave., is abandoned and has a rotting roof. Town workers weren't able to get inside the home because of clutter, debris and other household items, officials said.

The third home, 119 Eleanor Ave., is considered unsafe, town officials said. It's a two-story ranch-style home with an attached garage.

"These homes are the continuation of my effort to raise the quality of life in the Mastic-Shirley area. These are the latest of homes we've demolished. There are a lot more coming," Brookhaven Town Councilman Dan Panico said Monday.

Panico represents District 6, which includes Mastic and Shirley.

Last week, the town demolished a vacant house at 40 Margin Dr. West in Shirley. That long-vacant house had been a source of numerous community complaints over the past decade.

The property owner was issued violations dating back to 2007 ranging from property maintenance, an unfenced pool and unsecured windows and doors, officials said.

The home was torn down under chapter 73 of the Town Code, which provides a "fast track" to rid neighborhoods of unsafe structures.

Residents can report a vacant house by calling 451-TOWN (8696), Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.