Town Of Oyster Bay Calendar
Former Hicksville homeowner sues Town of Oyster Bay over demolition of Sandy-damaged residence
A former Hicksville homeowner has sued the Town of Oyster Bay, alleging its demolition of her Superstorm Sandy-damaged home last year was illegal.
Doina Almazon, a 59-year-old retired state court employee, filed the complaint on her own behalf in a Manhattan federal court while asking that a judge appoint an attorney to represent her.
The lawsuit seeks $4 million from the town and $3 million from Almazon’s former mortgage holder, JPMorgan Chase. A conference is scheduled for Sept. 11 in federal court in Central Islip, where the case was moved.
“I just want to be made whole,” Almazon said in an interview. “It’s not right what I’ve been put through.”
Almazon alleges in her lawsuit that the town and JPMorgan Chase violated her rights and conspired to demolish her home even as she fought foreclosure.
Oyster Bay Town spokesman Brian Nevin said in a statement that Almazon’s lawsuit is “frivolous” and a “poor attempt to rip off taxpayers.”
He added: “The State Supreme Court directed the demolition of the house because of Ms. Almazon’s failure to maintain it, which led to dangerous and unsafe conditions.”
Almazon has been in legal battles with the town, contractors, insurance companies and her former mortgage company for more than a decade as she first tried to save her home and now is seeking compensation for alleged damages.
In 2013, lingering damage from Superstorm Sandy damage forced her out of her former home on Grape Lane in Hicksville and disputes over insurance money and repairs left the house unfinished.
In 2017, Oyster Bay adopted a new code allowing town officials to demolish homes deemed to be nuisances after obtaining a court order.
A state judge gave Almazon, who now lives in Plainview, about four months in 2022 to bring her house up to code or face demolition.
But Almazon said she couldn’t make the repairs — which a consultant she hired said were about 70% completed — because JPMorgan Chase hadn’t released insurance money.
In a separate lawsuit, a lawyer representing JPMorgan Chase told a judge the bank wouldn’t release the remaining insurance funds owed until the repairs on the house were 90% complete.
Court records show a report from the town’s consultant said Almazon’s house was dangerous and should be brought up to code or demolished. But other court paperwork showed Almazon’s consultant found the dwelling was structurally sound.
The town demolished the house on June 30, 2022.
Last month, the town board approved paying an outside law firm to defend it in Almazon’s new federal lawsuit.
Lawyers for JPMorgan Chase didn’t respond to a request for comment.
TIMELINE 2013 – Lingering damage from Superstorm Sandy displaces Doina Almazon from her house 2013 – JPMorgan Chase begins foreclosure proceedings 2015 – Almazon sues insurance company over Sandy claim 2017 – Oyster Bay passes law for demolition, with a court order, of houses found unsafe or abandoned 2017 – Court grants JPMorgan Chase order to foreclose on Almazon’s house; Almazon begins appeals. 2020 – Almazon sues contractor over Sandy repairs 2021 – Oyster Bay sues Almazon for failure to maintain her home 2022 – Oyster Bay demolishes the house 2023 – Almazon sues town and JPMorgan Chase in federal court
SOURCE: Court filings, town records
