Town Officials Target Illegal Share Houses
With the annual influx of summer renters about to begin, East Hampton Town’s Ordinance Enforcement Division is cracking down on homeowners who would disregard the zoning-based laws that prohibit shared houses.
The town put the kibosh on several potential group rentals recently after a two-month investigation. A search of websites, newspaper ads, and other outlets has resulted to date in a total of 85 charges of zoning code violations at four properties. Eight individuals or corporations were cited.
Under the town code, operating a share house is defined as “the selling of shares or establishment of tenancy in which individuals obtain rights of occupancy in individual bedrooms, or rights to occupy all or part of the residence on particular days of the week, specified weekends or other similar terms.” According to a release from the town, it “severely impacts neighbors and leads to complaints of environmental impact from litter, debris, and septic overload, as well as issues relative to excessive noise and vehicle parking.”
Aaron Monet and John Shub each face 10 charges of selling shares for a house at 25 Old Montauk Highway in Amagansett, where a two-car garage, according to Betsy Bambrick, East Hampton’s director of ordinance enforcement, “had been converted to a fully functional cottage for two people without the benefit of a building permit, subsequent inspections, or certificate of occupancy.” The garage conversion produced five separate zoning-related charges.
Allen Salkin and Nicholas Contos received 10 counts each for offering shares at 55 Hand Lane in Amagansett, and Bernice Papia was charged with 10 counts for a prohibited use in a single-family residence: selling shares, excessive turnover, and partial occupancy of 32 Atlantic Street in East Hampton. A limited-liability corporation, 23 Atlantic, was similarly charged as owner of the property.
Sophie Wilhelm and 145 Neck Path L.L.C., the corporate owner of a house at that address, also face 10 counts apiece for share house violations. All the defendants are scheduled for arraignment on May 18.
“It is our intention to closely monitor these and other locations over the summer and take appropriate action should there be further violations of the Town Code,” Ms. Bambrick stated in the release.
“Tackling illegal occupancy and excessive turnover in summer rentals remains a high priority for the Town of East Hampton,” added Supervisor Larry Cantwell. “I hope this latest action by our Code Enforcement Department will send a strong message to others who may feel tempted to violate our town code.”