Crackdown on illegal housing continues Twp. gave violation notice to three properties last week BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer Woodbridge added three more to its list of approximately 300 to 400 illegal homes last week, as part of the township's crackdown program on illegal housing. The crackdown yielded several boarding homes, including an informal day-care center. "The midnight conversion of single-family properties into illegal boarding homes by absentee landlords will not be tolerated in the township," said Mayor John E. McCormac. The six township housing inspectors uncovered an unlicensed and unregistered day-care facility and three illegal boarding homes in Woodbridge, Avenel and Hopelawn. "These illegal boarding homes presented some of the worst overcrowding and potentially dangerous conditions yet uncovered by the inspectors," said McCormac. "Clearly, they pose a real danger to public health and safety." On April 12, township inspectors conducted an inside and outside inspection of 459-461 School St., which resulted in the issuance of violation notices charging the owner and co-owner, Lapmai Do and Thao Tran, who officials said did not live in the residences, with operating an illegal day-care center, operating an illegal boarding home, maintaining illegal basement apartments, and failure to remove junk and debris. The inspection of the building, zoned as a two-family residence, uncovered the illegal day care operation and three bedrooms on the first floor, seven locked bedrooms on the second floor, and two additional bedrooms in the basement, officials said. At least 12 individuals resided in the illegal boarding home, officials said. "This was an informal day care center where the people living in the building and also people who were not living in the building were dropping their kids off," said John Hagerty, the township communication's director. "It was mostly a word of mouth operation," he said. "Since, the violations have been issued, the day care operation is no longer operating." On April 16, Do and Tran, who also own 21 Burnett Street in Avenel, were issued four violation notices charging the operation of an illegal boarding/rooming house, maintaining illegal basement apartments, failure to remove junk and debris and unregistered vehicles. The inspection uncovered three locked bedrooms and a kitchen on the second floor; three locked bedrooms and a kitchen on the first floor; and two locked bedrooms in the basement, officials said. At least seven tenants resided in the illegal boarding home, officials said. The next day, Bienias Urszula, a resident of Perth Amboy and the owner of 387 Herbert St. in Hopelawn, was issued two violation notices charging the operation of an illegal boarding/rooming house and failure to install smoke detectors. The inspection uncovered six locked bedrooms, the conversion of the first floor living room into a separate bedroom with individual locks on every door, officials said. At least five tenants resided in the illegal boarding home, officials said. A notice of violation requires the property owner to provide a remediation plan to correct the alleged illegal condition, obtain any and all relevant permits, and bring the property into compliance with all township ordinances and housing regulations. Potential financial penalties of up to $2,500 per violation could be assessed. The township ordinance requires the property owner to provide for the costs and expenses necessary to relocate any tenants that are illegally housed in the property. The owners will have to appear in municipal court on June 1 and have to relocate their tenants by that date. The mayor and the council said they are starting to see positive results with the illegal housing program as previously cited property owners are bringing out-of-compliance properties into compliance with township housing codes. McCormac has redirected resources to beef up housing inspections, including hiring additional inspectors, installation of updated portable computers with direct access to municipal records to housing inspectors and staggering hours of inspection. On Dec. 18, 2006, the township sent out more than 50 letters to township residential dwellings and business properties in Woodbridge, Port Reading, Fords, Iselin, Avenel, Keasbey, Colonia and Hopelawn. In November 2006, township housing inspectors, acting on a complaint by a resident, discovered 10 beds and what appeared to be an illegal apartment in a single-family LaGuardia Avenue residence in Iselin owned by Mubbashir Ahmed. Township residents are encouraged to report potential illegal housing and other housing related activities to the Bureau of Housing at (732) 634-4500 Ext. 6009. All complaints will be investigated and all information will remain confidential.