Mobile app reports vacant buildings

Brookhaven Town officials are trying to make it easier for residents to help crack down on vacant buildings by introducing a mobile phone application that can be used to report empty structures.

The app, which can be downloaded to smartphones, will help town investigators track down owners of abandoned parcels using real estate and tax records, Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said.

Residents can also report suspected vacant structures by calling 631-451-8696 or by going to the town website, brookhaven.org/vacanthouse. Brookhaven officials estimate the town has as many as 3,000 vacant buildings.

“The mobile apps will allow people who are directly affected by these buildings to report these buildings to the law department,” Romaine said. “We want to know who is responsible for the property.”

The town last year made it mandatory for owners of abandoned properties to register with the town. Registration costs $100 for a home or building that has been vacant for less than a year, and failure to comply results in fines ranging from $1,000 to $15,000.