Residents of Haven Marina filled Manorhaven Village Hall on May 26 to make their case to remain in their homes. Residents of the houseboats docked at the Matinicock Avenue marina were slapped with eviction notices by the owner, Heaven Realty, LLC, demanding they leave the marina by May 10. On May 6, the electricity was turned off due to damage suffered to the electrical panel. Electricity to the main panel has since been restored; however, until they are cleared to reconnect to the main electric panel, residents are relying on generators for power. Village Code Enforcement Officer Kareem Buckley described what he called a “tenuous situation” when he was called to the marina to investigate the power outage on May 6. He said police were called and described the scene as “dangerous” in that the electrical meters were tampered with, wires were cut and exposed. Village Attorney James Toner stated that the village is sympathetic to the plight of the residents, and it remains neutral in what it considers a landlord/tenant dispute at the marina. Toner further confirmed Buckley’s assessment of the situation, noting the generators are a temporary solution and are not a permanent measure. Unless the marina residents can bring their boats in compliance and pass required inspections, the marina will most likely have to shut down. Toner said the village will continue to carefully monitor the situation.
Attorney Anthony Piacentini spoke on behalf of Heaven Realty and encouraged residents to leave the marina for their safety and said the village should condemn the floating homes because they are dangerous and the village must take action to protect the public. Haven Marina residents in attendance were not persuaded by Piacentini’s presentation, claiming the marina has been willfully neglected for years by Heaven Realty. Many believed that the neglect was a calculated effort by the owner to evict the residents so the property could be developed into condominiums.
