Remember, our entire civic area is zoned R2.
That means detached single and 2 family homes only!
Conversions to multiple family homes, cellar and attic apartments are illegal. Commercial use is also illegal. Paving and parking cars on front lawns and back yards is illegal. Guard your property value! Be a watch dog! Preserve your quality of life!
REPORT ANY AND ALL VIOLATORS!

QUEENS GETS MORE BUILDING INSPECTORS
TO INVESTIGATE BACKLOG OF COMPLAINTS

Thirteen inspectors will be added to the Queens Office of the Department of Buildings to investigate a backlog of over 12,000 housing complaints from Queens residents. In the beginning of October, there were 12,600 outstanding complaints concerning Queens buildings while Brooklyn, the borough with the next highest amount, had 2,995. Manhattan had 197, the Bronx 177, and Staten Island 156. Eight of the inspectors will be reassigned from other boroughs to work on the Queens backlog. The total number of housing inspectors in Queens will increase to 18. The largest number of complaints are “Class B,” many dealing with illegal conversions of private homes into multiple family dwellings. There are more than 7,700 of that type; on average, these complaints are 190 days old. Fines for illegal conversions can cost homeowners thousands of dollars if they do not comply with regulations within thirty-five days.

Your civic association has been reporting illegal housing conversions to the Buildings Department for many years without getting much legal action against the perpetrators. These conversions bring increased traffic and parking problems and tax our sewer and sanitation services. They are often constructed without regard to building and fire codes and can be dangerous to the occupants and the neighborhood. If you know of such illegal housing, bring it to our attention at our meetings or call 1-718-468-2160. Hopefully, we’ll now get action that will help to improve our quality of life.

THANKS A HEAP!!!

Our newest members are Kenneth Bell (Hollis Court Boulevard), Arlene Buoninfante (91st Road), Raymond Dudley (Vanderveer Street), Leonard Fazioli (220th Street), Denesh Guness (Hollis Court Blvd), Carlotta Mack (Springfield Blvd), Abraham Nagaur (91st Road), and Khemraj Paul (221st Street). Welcome aboard. You can join our association at our monthly meetings or by using the membership
application form in this newsletter. We are also asking that you encourage your neighbors to join us. Bring them to one of our meetings so that they can see the work we do for our community. We need you to increase our strength and our clout as we fight for programs and City services to maintain and improve our quality of life. Your support is gratefully appreciated.

SANITATION TO COLLECT
CHRISTMAS TREES

The New York City Department of Sanitation will collect discarded Christmas trees beginning Thursday, January 6, through Saturday, January 15. You should remove the ornaments before placing the tree on the curb for collection. Do not put the tree in a plastic bag. The trees will be chipped into compost, which will be distributed to parks, playing fields, and community gardens throughout the City.

MEETING DATES OF THE QVCA

Your civic association will conduct monthly meetings during the current civic year on the following dates in 2005: January 18, February 15, March 15, April 19, May 17, and June 21. The meetings are held in Stewart Hall of Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Springfield Boulevard and 93rd Avenue, beginning at 8:00 P. M. Members and the public are invited.

CRIME WATCH

The 105 Precinct, which covers the communities of Bellerose, Cambria Heights, Floral Park, Glen Oaks, Laurelton, New Hyde Park, Rosedale, Springfield Gardens, and Queens Village, reports that overall crime dropped by nearly 7 percent in 2004. The seven crimes measured are murder, rape, robbery, felony assault, burglary, grand larceny, and auto theft. Overall crime incidents were down from 3,740 to 3,481 in 2004, an average of 9.5 crimes reported each day. Crime decreased in four of the categories measured.

Murders were down from 13 in 2003 to 10 in 2004. Auto thefts decreased from 723 cases in 2003 to 597 cases in 2004. The other
two categories that saw a decrease were robbery, which fell by 13.8 percent, and burglary, which dropped 16.3 percent. The three categories that reported an increase in the number of reported cases were rape, felony assault, and grand larceny, which were up 6.4 percent, 12.7 percent, and 7.6 percent respectively from 2003.

You can obtain information about police activity in our community and be given the opportunity to express your concerns and complaints by attending the next meeting of the 105th Precinct Community Council on Wednesday, January 26, in the precinct located at
92-08 - 222 Street, in Queens Village, beginning at 8:00 P.M.

GRAFFITI BUSTING

Graffiti has been creeping back into our community, but the 105th Precinct’s Division of the Citywide Vandals Task Force is gearing up to go after those who deface our buildings and mar our landscapes. Lieutenant John Breheny, who heads the vandals task force, recently arrested a 15-year-old male who hit 10 spots in one night, including the walls of the new high school in Glen Oaks Campus. Breheny was able to link the youth to the graffiti because of his distinct marking or “tag.” In Bellerose, two teens have been arrested for graffiti vandalism.

Residents should call 911 if they see anyone in the act or 311 if they notice new markings. If a tag is found, the police will photograph it and search the city’s data base to see if they can find the person responsible. If the information you provide leads to an apprehension, prosecution, and conviction of a graffiti vandal, the city will pay a reward of up to $500. Your identity will be kept anonymous. If the vandals are 16 or older, their names can be released to the public, and they may be charged with a felony if the damages exceed $250. Parents of youths who are convicted of vandalizing are liable for the damage by being named in civil suits.

Lieutenant Breheny is looking for the community to become more active in helping to catch graffiti vandals to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. He can be reached at the 105th Precinct by calling 1-718-776-9171.

Help wanted: We need members to deliver our newsletter.
If you can help, please see Eleanor Carrington at our meetings or call her at 1-718-468-0689.

CALL 1-718-343-2580

TO ADVERTISE IN OUR NEWSLETTER

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