Cops Bust Overcrowded, Roach-Infested Flanders Home

Two Flanders homeowners were charged with over 40 town code violations Wednesday morning after code enforcement officials and police said they found missing carbon monoxide detectors, roach infestations and 17 people crammed into "deplorable conditions" at a property in Flanders.

The two-story home at 227 Priscilla Drive was home to several Hispanic families who were packed into small rooms far below town code, according to a statement from the Town of Southampton. One of the worst offenses was a 99-square-foot room that held a family of four. Town code requires 100 square feet for rooms occupied by two people.

Police and code enforcement officials said they discovered the overcrowding after searching the home at 5 a.m. Wednesday morning. Other violations allegedly found included missing banisters on stairs, too many vehicles at the property, and smoke detectors throughout the house that were either covered by aluminum foil or had their batteries removed.

“Seventeen individuals, including children, crowded into an illegal structure with numerous safety hazards, is a textbook example of the need for proactive code enforcement,” said Town Councilman Chris Nuzzi.

Owners Samuel and Francisco Domingo, who live at the premises, were each served with appearance tickets and will face charges and thousands of dollars in fines in Southampton Town Justice Court.

The overcrowded home was the second major violation found on Priscilla Avenue after an investigation last week

Town Legislative Aide Ryan Horn said the violations at this house ranked among the worst he's seen in his three-year career.

"We've seen other ones that are worse, but in terms of just the number of people to the square footage of the house, this is up there," Horn said.

Horn added that while some families could stay on the property, some would be forced to move unless the house was significantly renovated.

"Eventually with the property, some of those people are going to have to get taken out of there," Horn said. "You can't have 17 people living in a single-family house."