73rd Street Residents Warn Bay Ridge About Squatters in the Area
The residents on 73rd Street dealt with squatters at 95 – 73rd Street for over two years!
Here’s what the home looked like before the fire:
We drove over to this block between Colonial and Narrows Avenue to see what type of block it is. It’s a pretty block – it’s not just a nice block in Bay Ridge, it’s a very nice block.
The owner of the home died. A private investigator was hired to locate the next of kin. The next of kin was not found (he may be deceased as well). Then squatters appeared at the home. One man claimed he was the new home owner.
The quiet block saw a big change and a lot of activity during the early morning hours and also late at night.
A new problem emerged when the squatters started selling drugs. If you have someone on your block selling drugs, you know it.
The residents on the block saw people doing drugs during the day outside the home. The squatters had verbal altercations and threatened elderly residents, who asked them not to block driveways.
At one point, there was a child living in one of the partitioned apartments. Residents tried to get help for the child as they knew what was going on, but help never came.
Finally, there were three large pit bulls, which were being walked off-leash regularly.
The residents felt unsafe and contacted 311, 911, Justin Brannan, Community Board 10 and other offices to help them with all the problems named above (and some I have not named). No one was able to help them get the squatters out. Our neighbors on 73rd Street deserved better!
Councilman Justin Brannan barely helped these Bay Ridge residents by having a few of the squatter’s cars removed from the block. Brannan did not address the squatting or other illegal activity. Brannan told the residents of 73rd Street that the property was privately owned.
I don’t know why Councilman Brannan didn’t get the residents on 73rd Street help from the police.
On March 21st, there was a fire in the basement of 95 – 73rd Street that helped end the squatters reign on the block.
The fire caused enough damage that the fire department issue an evacuation order.
Even after the evacuation order, the squatters still remained at the property. Eventually, the 68th Precinct police arrested them for criminal trespassing when they refused to vacate the burned house.
After the fire, a Kings County Public Administrator confirmed that 95 – 73rd Street was CITY-OWNED. Why didn’t Councilman Brannan look into this?
While the squatters are now gone from this block, the residents still see their cars on the block, so they believe the squatters are still in the area.
Our Bay Ridge neighbors are shared this because they don’t want anyone else in Bay Ridge to have this group living on their block. Keep an eye on the vacant homes on your block, Bay Ridge! The squatters may have researched the deceased owners property – he owned two other resident’s in the area.
Bay Ridge Neighbors – something has to change in our community. The people who have been elected and hired to help us are failing us.
Hugs,
marlene
Topics: Bay Ridge | No Comments »