Springs Residents: Town Must Clamp Down on Illegal Housing, Overcrowding

Springs residents aired their grievances at the East Hampton Town Board meeting on Thursday night about what they consider to be the town’s poor enforcement of illegal housing laws in their hamlet.

The town board has been grappling with such concerns, particularly in recent months since the Springs School District sent a letter to the board about its knowledge of illegal housing that was having an effect on its school. It has recently introduced new housing legislation that would legalize some affordable apartments.

Kathy McCormack said that her community was in a “crisis” and that the in particular was “bursting at the seams” due to multiple families living in homes zoned for single-family occupancy. McCormack added that by not enforcing the existing housing laws, the town was failing the legitimate residents of Springs and giving comfort to “the people in the community who choose not to abide by the law, [and] hide.”

Another resident, David Buda, warned against the “lifestyle erosion” and “erosion of property values” which would be the inevitable result of failure to enforce the housing laws, and called for a summit to address the town’s inaction.

When East Hampton Town Supervisor Bill Wilkinson admitted to a sense of responsibility for anyone who might be evicted under strict enforcement of the laws, Buda was unimpressed, telling Wilkinson, “After a whole year, the honeymoon’s over.”

“Listen, the buck stops here,” Wilkinson countered, “the honeymoon was over from day one.”

Carol Buda spoke next, deploring the difference between the town board’s words and its actions. “You’re saying the right things,” she admitted, “but we’re not feeling them.” Buda emphasized that Springs residents “don’t want illegal housing legalized. Single-family zoning must be enforced.” 

Buda then made explicit reference to the demographic group to which she believed most of the illegal occupants belonged. “Latino leaders in the community would do better to educate newcomers about our laws,” she proposed, stressing that “the town must increase the penalties for violators,” and alluding to incidents in which landlords of illegally occupied housing had been inadequately and nominally fined.

“We want the illegal, overcrowded houses shut down,” Buda concluded, adding that she had heard neighbors predict “if this isn’t resolved soon, it’s going to get ugly.”

Tina Piette, a lawyer and Springs resident, urged tolerance and warned against jumping to conclusions about certain Springs residents, pointing out that “houses [having] eight people and six cars doesn’t mean they’re illegal.”

Piette also said that her own business had a broad range of clients from a wide variety of backgrounds and ethnicities, and that diversity gave strength to any community.