Village Of Malverne

MY EXPERIENCE WITH THE VILLAGE OF MALVERNE

I moved in to the Incorporated Village of Malverne in 2005. Due to getting married in 2006 I wanted my family to live in a safe place. I bought a one floor two bedroom 1000sq ft house for $380,000.00 with high taxes. I lived alone for the first year due to old fashion tradition of my wife’s family. I got married one year after purchasing my home. In 2006 my wife moved in and we had 2 dogs at that time. The tickets started within the first month. I filed a permit and contacted an architect to put a driveway on the side of my house, like everyone else has. I was denied the permit to add a driveway and they continued writing tickets. I went to the Building Department to ask the reason for being denied, I was told there is a chance the wall might be weak (retainer wall because my garage is in my basement so there is a hill that goes down under street level). I was told I would need to hire an architect to build a wall that will work with my situation. I called an architect and told him what I needed done and got the ball rolling, when receiving the cost to complete this project I had to make sure so I went back to the Building Department and asked if I comply and pay to have this done I just need to know I won’t be denied again. I was told by the Building Inspector that he can’t guarantee it, kind of like a “You Never Know” answer. So, nobody in their right mind will go through that and all the costs, only to get denied again. I had no choice, I dealt with the tickets.

A year later, business declined and I could not afford the unnecessary expenses. I started parking the cars on my front lawn which really hurt due to the fact I pay for landscaping. Not long after, I received a violation for parking on unpaved surfaces. I contacted them again and again until they finally told me I can get a permit to leave the cars in the street, so I did. It wound up costing me more because when the permit expired one year later, police officers made sure to write double the tickets. I sent in for a new permit and was then told that such permit does not even exist and that I have to park in the lot. I dealt with the tickets for another year and finally went to the town hall and purchased permits for four vehicles, which was actually paying for eight due to the fact they have overnight and daytime permits. It was a pain to park all the vehicles in the lot but it was great, the tickets stopped. Well, two weeks later I got notices on my vehicles stating that the daytime permits were issued in error. So I ask myself how am I going to take all four vehicles to work with me…I still didn’t figure that out so I put them back in front of my house, never to receive the money back that I paid for the permits that they issued in error. I questioned them on this matter and was told the lot is not their property in the daytime. I didn’t understand, so I figured Malverne sold it to LIRR first thing in the morning and LIRR sold it back at night. Too much paper work but I guess it worked for them. Not long after, a custom car store that is on my block wanted to have a car show so the owner went to town hall. He got his permits to close the lot to the public and residents for his car show. The only problem I saw with that was… It was during the daytime. So I figured Malverne didn’t sell LIRR the property that day. After more tickets I put the cars back on the lawn just to receive another violation in the mail, so back in the street they went. It is five years later and I still have this problem, must be a really hard problem to solve for them because they are still coming up with a plan to accommodate me on this situation.

I also bought a 7x7 rubber maid storage shed from home depot years ago. I put the shed on the side of my house toward the back yard; I received a violation in the mail and went in person to speak with the inspector. He told me that if I paid and pulled a permit for the shed, that it can stay. He told me I had to put a fence up in the front to stop visibility of the shed. I did all they asked and he kept his word and cleared all violations. Well, one year later I got the same violation so I called him back. He told me “well someone complained and it has to be removed”. He stated he told me that previously, but never did. I sent him a letter explaining to him that I have no place for my snow blower, lawn mower and other yard tools. I also explained that it is a rubber maid plastic shed that clips together; there is no foundation, wood or metal. I got a letter back stating that it must come down right away. I complied and took the shed down.

I had a Police Officer personally tell me, “We don’t want people like you here”. The big question that he would not answer is “What are people like me?” Not to mention that he stood sideways and refused to give me his name or badge number, which is a violation of my rights as a citizen. As he walked away into the back room he stated, "This guy is a fucking asshole", to a fellow officer.

It would be unfair if I didn’t tell you how I apparently upset this officer. I woke up with 4 tickets and walked to the precinct to file for a permit that they subsequently told me doesn’t exist. As I was filling out the parking permit form he gave me that didn’t exist, I stated to him that receiving all these tickets in 24 hours is not fair. His answer to that was, “Well, the issuing officer could have written you more!!! He is doing his job”

I can keep going on and on describing the countless times I have been targeted and harassed, but I will end this by stating that I know I am not a saint. I am not stating I am perfect but what is happening to me is this… They want me out of this village so they are targeting me to make it happen and it worked. I went as far as closing on another house in Massapequa. I felt so pressured and bullied to leave Malverne that I jumped into signing the contract, and as a result, could not sleep for a week. I knew I could not afford two houses so I backed out of the deal last minute and lost $10,000.00. I put my house on the market twice over the course of two years, but due to the economy it didn’t sell. I love my home and wanted nothing more than to raise my family here. However, I don’t see that happening and I know I have to leave the village or else. They will find other ways to target me and affect my family’s life.