Worker housing on Shelter Island under investigation: Inspectors focused on overcrowding

The Building Department is investigating charges of overcrowding on a property at 15 Quaker Path, based on a complaint filed that the residence is housing 12 to 15 IGA employees.

The employees were hired on J1 visas, which  are meant to provide foreigners with educational and cultural exchange programs designated by the Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

The Quaker Path residence, designated as a single-family house, is owned by a limited liability corporation — 15 Quaker SI LLC of Huntington, N.Y. with its primary office listed in Menands, N.Y. On the Articles of Organization for the LLC dated Feb. 12, 2020, Diane Peronace is listed as its “organizer,” who could attest to the statements in the document as being true. She is the contact person for the Shelter Island IGA, but attempts to reach her at her local number indicated the mailbox was full and no further messages could be left.

A person who answered a telephone number associated with IGA said she was not someone who could comment, but would pass the request to an appropriate spokesperson. No one has responded.

Senior Building Department Inspector Reed Karen said the definition of “family” has changed, so the issue isn’t one of who is living at the house, but how many people are living in a four-bedroom house when code indicates up to two people per bedroom can occupy a dwelling.

Mr. Karen has forwarded the case to colleague Michael Chih. He has not yet responded to a request for information about the status of his investigation.

On Saturday, flyers at several places around the Island, including on cars parked at Crescent Beach, gave information about the case. According to the flyer, not only did the workers have to agree to share a bedroom with three other workers, but they were originally told the weekly rent would be $50, not the $75 the flyer indicated they were being charged. The residents of the house were told to keep downstairs blinds closed and not to open the door to anyone, according to the flyer.

A source who is familiar with the situation, but requested not to be identified because of possible retaliation, indicated there are two other houses on the property at 19 Stearns Point Road, at which IGA workers have lived.

This is a developing story and the Reporter will have more information on its website and in next week’s paper.