Abandoned Inwood house irks neighbors

Inwood residents are struggling with the consequences of living next to a vacant home on the corner of Bayswater Boulevard and Chestnut Street in Inwood for approximately the last seven years.

Since the homeowner died, Patty Vacchio in an email to the Herald, wrote that the unkempt property has proven to be an inconvenience to her. Overgrown hedges, uprooted sidewalk and remnants from lawn mowers characterize the abandoned residence resulting in unhappy neighbors on Bayswater Boulevard. 

“I have repeatedly been promised that action would be taken. However, there is constant excuses and red tape due to the home being in foreclosure,” Vacchio wrote. She added that she has been in contact with the Building Department, Sanitation Department, the county, the town and several politicians, “to no avail.” 

“It kills the neighborhood,” Santa Haanraadts, who has lived on Bayswater Boulevard for 41 years, said. She lives diagonally across the street from the abandoned house. “We all try to keep our place looking decent.”

Town of Hempstead Communications Director Mike Deery said that the Buildings Department is aware of the house’s condition and that the Sanitation Department has responded to maintaining the property. “We are continuing to monitor it and the process will continue to move forward for the eventual demolition of the structure,” Deery said. 

He cited that the town is following the Chapter 90: Dangerous Buildings and Structures protocol. In the emergency cases section of the code (90-15), it reads: “Any provision of this chapter to the contrary notwithstanding, where it reasonably appears that there is imminent danger to the life or safety of any person unless a dangerous building or structure, as defined herein, is immediately repaired, vacated or demolished, the Building Inspector shall cause the immediate repair, vacation or demolition of such dangerous building or structure.”

Jerry Grimando, a Chestnut Street resident who has lived there for about 15 years, said: “Since after [Hurricane] Sandy, they haven’t done anything to it, so who knows what it’s like in there.”