Suffolk shelter owner pays part of $900G tax bill

The firm that holds the mortgage on the building housing a Brentwood homeless shelter has paid part of the $900,000 in delinquent back property taxes, County Treasurer Angie Carpenter said.

Stabilis Master Fund III paid $207,487 last week for the 2011 property taxes. The move prevents the county from being able to take over the property for the unpaid taxes.

"Legally, all we can get is $207,000 and we got it," said Carpenter.

Stabilis bought the mortgage about two weeks ago from GE Capital and has begun foreclosure proceedings against Viral Patel's Commack Hospitality LLC, the owner of record, according to the treasurer's office.

Still unpaid is $361,561 in 2012 property taxes and $330,700 in 2013 property taxes. By law, the county can seize and sell properties when taxes are delinquent for more than a year. The payment of 2011 taxes gives the owner until December to pay the 2012 tax bill to avoid seizure.

Suffolk is providing $2.7 million a year in rental income, through a nonprofit contractor, to Patel. Suffolk provides that money to the nonprofit before the state reimburses all county costs for emergency family housing.

Commack Hospitality LLC owns the site where Suffolk recently opened a 400-bed family shelter.

Legis. Rick Montano (D-Brentwood) wants the county to stop paying the nonprofit.

The shelter has 400 beds.