Brookhaven Town razes 4th blighted home on 'Dirty Dozen' list of vacant houses

Brookhaven continues to tear down blighted homes in an effort to clean up the town.

The latest effort last week pulled down an abandoned residence at 38 Herkimer St. in Mastic, where code violations date to November 2009.

"In a neighborhood where people take pride in their homes, an eyesore like this can diminish the quality of life and severely impact property values," Brookhaven Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said in a statement.

The Mastic home was the fourth vacant house demolished by the town since the beginning of September as part of Romaine's focus on a "Dirty Dozen" list of 12 vacant houses that have become dangerous nuisances.

The homes have been torn down under Chapter 73 of Brookhaven Town Code, which allows for the demolishing of an unsafe structure. The town board in December unanimously adopted legislation to create a vacant building registry. It requires owners of a vacant property to register with the town and provide contact information for the party responsible for maintaining the structure.