Since he announced he would reassess four known dwellings in Nassau County as commercial properties, Nassau County Assessor Harvey Levinson has been a popular man. Time will tell if his plan will stand up to an appeal. However, Levinson's campaign may have raised public awareness even further to the problem of illegal housing.

Levinson announced he would be reassessing a property located on Princeton Street in Westbury, a home on Roquette Avenue in Elmont, a home located on Post Street in East Meadow and a home on Doris Avenue in Franklin Square. However, the problem of illegal housing goes much deeper than four locations. It has become an epidemic in Nassau County.

"I'm calling for all levels of government to see what we can do," said Levinson in his press conference last month announcing his plan to reassess the four properties.

One of the roots of the illegal housing problem could very well be the lack of affordable housing in Nassau County. With the ever increasing taxes faced by county residents, homeowners in need of extra income rent out a section of their homes and some people who cannot afford to purchase a home on Long Island or some of the high rents of legal apartments resort to renting an illegal dwelling.

While the tenant gets a place to live and the property owner gets extra income, a drain is being put on a community's schools, resources and parking, not to mention creating a possible safety hazard. "The key is we must also develop a plan for affordable housing. We have a situation where young people are leaving the county because they can't afford to live here," Levinson said. "What they're doing is living in illegal dwellings. We're hoping that the attention to this problem will result in investors thinking twice about doing it and government developing a plan for affordable housing."

Many community leaders feel municipalities haven't done an adequate job in fighting illegal housing. The Town of Hempstead isn't alone in its reception of criticism. However, there are problems towns and villages face in combating illegal housing.

Homeowners and tenants have rights of privacy preventing building inspectors from barging into homes and looking for illegal dwellings. Municipalities instead search for signs on the outsides of properties such as multiple electric meters, mailboxes and doorbells. Municipalities also rely on complaints from residents.

In the Nassau County Police Department 5th Precinct, officers fill out forms that indicate the presence of a possible illegal condition if they responds to calls within a home and they notice something that may be amiss. "The officers document what they see and then we have a formal notification. We notify the proper authorities that we've observed what may be an illegal apartment," said 5th Precinct Inspector Wayne Atkins.

Such things officers notice are multiple kitchens, basement apartment and different families.

The Village of Mineola is a two-square-mile village with its share of talk of illegal housing. Last year, village mayor Jack Martins proposed and passed a rental registration law requiring all property owners of apartment buildings and mixed use occupancies such as structures with apartments above stores to register those apartments with the village. Building inspectors then inspect the apartments and issue a permit to rent. Mayor Martins insists that the law isn't designed to fight illegal housing, but to make sure there are safe conditions for residents.

Such a rental registration law also wouldn't make sure one-family houses are in compliance. Enforcement of those of a town or village code would fall on the shoulders of the building department of a municipality.

In the Town of Hempstead, the Community Alliance, which represents civic and community groups, has been urging the town to become more vigilant in the fight against illegal housing. "We firmly believe that illegal multiple dwelling units in houses designated as single family residences must go. No ifs, ands or buts. We also believe, and so assert with no less vigor and certainty, that the renter of the illegal apartment cannot, should not and must not become either a burden to taxpayers and society or the innocent victim of a zealous righteousness to return suburbia to our island. It is, after all, their island as well," stated a press release from the Community Alliance.

(Part II of the story on illegal housing will appear in next week's edition.)