Plans by the Village of Farmingdale to take over an apartment building on Secatogue Avenue to allow for private redevelopment have raised concern among some local community members in recent weeks.

The village intends to use its power of eminent domain to acquire 130 Secatogue Avenue, owned by Lewis Yonke, and then transfer ownership to the landlord of 150 Secatogue, John Tossini, to enable Tossini to redevelop both properties into a new apartment complex.

The structure at 150 Secatogue is a 60-unit apartment building, while 130 Secatogue has 12 apartment units, and the village believes the takeover is in the public interest because the 12-unit dwelling is troubled with gangs, drug activity, and overcrowding, and is not up to code, according to John Giordano, village clerk-treasurer. The new apartments would be built after the existing buildings are demolished. "What he wanted to do was create additional units that are cleaner and safer than what he has now," said Giordano. "He indicated that they won't be rentals, that they'll be townhouse units that he'll sell, or a combination of selling or renting. We're not sure yet, because it hasn't gotten that far yet. It's just a concept right now. He hasn't given us anything in writing." Whether or not the deal will go through, he noted, is dependent on ongoing negotiations between the two landlords.

But many tenants of the buildings and advocates for them hope it will not go through. They believe the takeover would cause increased homelessness, and force many to look for substandard housing, such as basement apartments. To voice these concerns, they packed a public hearing held by the village on the matter about a month ago. In addition, in recent weeks, some local residents have written letters to the Observer in opposition to the plan. One such letter claims that the plan is the result of the village going too far in its ongoing gentrification efforts.

Racial tensions have also been a part of the issue; some advocates for the Hispanic day laborer community see the plan as part of a larger effort by the village to push the minority group out of Farmingdale. Many of the tenants are the same people whom the municipality earlier this year prohibited from standing along Conklin Street, as they waited to be picked up for day work, according to Carlos Canales, an organizer with the Workplace Project, a Hempstead-based, Hispanic labor advocacy group.

At the time of the enactment of the "No standing" policy, which prohibited trucks from stopping along Conklin Street to pick up the workers, Mayor Joseph Trudden had said that policy was needed to alleviate a dangerous traffic situation. In addition, the municipality eventually arranged for a temporary pick-up site for the workers on village property on Elizabeth Street.

Although the Workplace Project has not formally interceded on the current apartment matter, as they focus on labor rather than housing issues, Canales said he believes the day laborer and apartment issues are related. "This is my personal opinion," he said. "They are trying to control the Hispanic population. They're trying to do it right now, preventatively, before it is higher than it is right now. Because I know there are a lot of Spanish people living in 130 Secatogue and 150."

Speaking for the village, Giordano denied that the deal had any racial undertones, calling such accusations "baseless." He noted that the possible plan also includes a stipulation that would guarantee the current tenants first rights to the new apartments. He added, "The existing rents are as high as $900 for a one-bedroom unit, that people are paying there. We estimate the prices are not going to change once the new buildings are completed. And if any of the units are sold off as townhouses, we've asked the developer to contact banks to arrange for special mortgages for the people that are there now that would want to buy in." In addition, he said, the village has told the developer that to proceed with the project, he must give tenants at least six months eviction notice.

Tossini first approached the village about his plans to redevelop his own property last fall, at which time, the municipality encouraged him to try to buy the adjacent building and include that property in the project. "We told him last fall, that we would like to see him do something with 130 Secatogue - we would like to see him buy that, and redevelop that also, because it's got so many problems," said Giordano. "We told him that if he wasn't able to buy privately from the owner, then we would intercede and do it. And whatever cost we would have, he would have to pay 100 percent of everything. So there won't be any village tax dollars used."

To legally exercise its right of eminent domain, the village must show that the project is in the public interest. Giordano said this project fulfills the criteria is several ways. First, he said, it would relieve street parking congestion by creating on-site parking. In addition, he noted, it would also create safer housing, because both buildings are not up to code. Lastly, he said, it would create additional housing units, which would help relieve Farmingdale and Long Island's housing shortage.