Overcrowded housing

Riverhead issued more than 30 violations after search warrants at two properties tied to unsafe housing and quality-of-life complaints, the town said in a press release.

An early morning search of a Newton Avenue home Monday found 13 adults and one infant living there, including some in 'makeshift living quarters' in the basement and a detached garage. On Tuesday, the Town Board authorized a lawsuit to stop the violations.

The Town of Riverhead has settled two State Supreme Court actions brought against Southampton investors for maintaining illegal, overcrowded residential rental properties and have been “in and out of Justice Court” for multiple town code violations, including renting without permits.Settlement of a third case against the same investors is close to being finalized.

A proposal to amend the rental housing permit code drew a crowd to a town board public hearing Tuesday night, where more than two dozen speakers objected to the revisions, which they said would discriminate against immigrants, low-income workers, the disabled, and other people who depend on shared housing.

A public hearing will be held Aug. 17 on a proposed Riverhead Town Code amendment related that takes aim at overcrowded and substandard rental housing in the town.

After the defeat of the school district’s capital construction bonds last week, residents are asking town officials to focus on overcrowded housing and code enforcement in Riverhead.

District officials defended their policies and procedures for student registration, which they said were established pursuant to the findings of a 2014 audit by the State Education Department and Attorney General.

The towns and school district need to keep an open line of communication to support to each other.

A proposal for tougher criminal penalties for violation of the town's housing code is set for an Oct. 16 public hearing.

With a growing number of overcrowded housing reports in Riverhead neighborhoods, town officials are considering dramatically increasing fines to help pay for the lengthy investigations needed to issue violations to an offending landlord.