This abandoned house on 90th Street in Woodhaven was boarded up by the Department of Buildings this week. It had been the location for many weekend parties that residents say went into the early hours of the morning. Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda.
An abandoned house in Woodhaven that has drawn many complaints of noise and excessive partying was cleared out and boarded up late last week.
The house, at 87-19 90th Street just off of Jamaica Avenue, played host to loud weekend parties that became a nuisance for its neighbors.
One such party ended tragically last year when Anthony Callao, an 18-year-old man who lived nearby the abandoned house, was killed after he was beaten to death by a group of teenagers who yelled racial slurs at him while it took place.
The parties had continued since that time. One man who has lived across the street from the home for about 30 years and who declined to be identified for this story, said that he noticed a lot of activity at the house for a full year. The resident said that some of the neighbors had spoken to local public officials about the house and nothing was done about it during that time. Another neighbor, Guilliermo Lima, said that he’s seen kids hanging out, drinking alcohol and playing loud music when he leaves his home to go to work at around 4:30 a.m.
A Department of Buildings (DOB) spokesperson confirmed to The Forum that the house was boarded up on Monday. According to the DOB’s website, the agency’s records show that the owner of the house belongs to a man named Hector Sanchez and that place has been issued 7 violations this year by the DOB including a failure to maintain notice on September 10, open and unguarded doors and windows
The backyard of the abandoned home is plastered in garbage. Forum Newsgroup photo by Luis Gronda.
on August 16 and doing construction on the house without a permit on July 3.
Woodhaven Residents Block Association president, Ed Wendell, said that the organization was happy with the swift response that the city had in boarding up the house and that they will look into how a situation like an abandoned house can be treated in the future.
Wendell said that the situation on 90th Street made them realize that they, as an organization, need to realize that a place like that house should not lose the attention of the local residents and civic until the problem is resolved.
“This house should have never gotten off our radar,” he said.
The WRBA president added that they also want to increase efforts to educate people more regarding who exactly to talk to when a problem arises in their neighborhood. He also encouraged people to speak up if they see something going on in their area so that a situation like the 90th Street house doesn’t sit there and linger for as long as it did.
“What we need is for our residents to step up,” Wendell said.
The WRBA has also started keeping a list of abandoned houses in the area. Wendell said they have about seven houses on that list, all of which have been boarded up already.
Both Wendell and a 90th Street resident who spoke to The Forum said that there is another abandoned house on that same block, at 87-33 90th Street.
According to DOB’s records on that place, it has received 2 complaints this year for the property being left vacant and unguarded. It’s information says that a violation was not given to the house as it found the house occupied.
By Luis Gronda
