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Slumlord On Long Island

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Jim Polichak

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? New York

I and a good number of other tenants are being taken advantage of by a landlord in Central Islip {Suffolk County} because we all came to him in very dire circumstances. Most of us were placed there by the Department of Social Services and many who are no longer on DSS are still there because of either very low paying jobs or low Social Security payments.
Among other indignities we are not allowed to have entry locks on our doors because the house is still zoned as a single family unit even though it has 25 tenants in 12 rooms. Most are doubles, a few triples and one single occupied by the sole woman in the house. Our landlord also has two other single family houses with another 20 or so tenants between them.
This morning it was announced that he was again trying to enforce a "house rule" that everyone must leave the house from 9am to 5pm to "look for work". A lot of theft has occurred each time his manager was the only one allowed in the house.
Additionally the house is also infested with bedbugs and ****roaches.


The landlord Vincent Bonomo collects about $300,000 a year and refuses to accept checks or money orders from anyone not covered by DSS directly. He also refuses to issue a receipt for any cash he accepts. One outlandish stunt he pulled was to drive a diabetic who recently ha several toes amputated to a check cashing service because he would even accept his Social Security check.

Any help would be appreciated!
Any one out there from a Tenant Right's group on Long Island?
Better yet, any attorneys that would like to make a name for themselves in anticipation of running for office?
 


Cvillecpm

Senior Member
Your house sounds like a shelter or half-way house.....locks have always been a no-no in these situations and yes, even the Salvation Army shelter makes residents vacate during the work week to look for work. I am sure these "rules" are a condition of the DSS.

If you don't like the rules, work 2 jobs, open a bank account, save your money and move.
 

xylene

Senior Member
New york has specific rights to organize under NYS law. You should do this.

Further, what he is doing may be in violation of housing codes, as most properties in long island face harsh occupancy restriction.

But I will tell you is that housing loss is a possible outcome.

Moving to more suitable residence is the best long term option.
 

Alaska landlord

Senior Member
This morning it was announced that he was again trying to enforce a "house rule" that everyone must leave the house from 9am to 5pm to "look for work".
You have my sympathy. I have had to suffer the indignity of having to work for most of my life. There ought to be a law.
 

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