The lawyer representing the Haven Marina said in court on Tuesday that a settlement would be reached in about two to three weeks with the residents who are being forced to leave their houseboats by July 31.
The marina’s lawyer, Anthony J. Piacentini, said that a stipulation is being prepared and, although the hearing in Nassau County Supreme Court was delayed until Sept. 8, a settlement will come soon in the lawsuit that residents filed asserting that they were being unlawfully evicted.
Piacentini said the owners of the marina are requiring the residents to leave, but didn’t clarify what the owners were planning to do with the land.
Residents said they believe the owners want to build condominiums, but a six-month moratorium was initiated on July 6, prohibiting the start of any construction.
Piacentini added that the marina has decided to make a counterclaim against a marina resident, Nick Cyprus.
“We will be proceeding with a counterclaim against resident Nick Cyprus for damages to the marina,” Piacentini said.
Cyprus is allegedly responsible for the marina’s loss of electricity and water after a Manorhaven village code enforcer, Kareem Buckley, caught him tampering with wires on May 6.
Buckley was responding to vandalism call — the original explanation of the power loss. When approached, Cyprus said he was installing a new panel. Efforts to reach Cyprus were unavailing.
Residents of the approximately 30 houseboats are still without electrical service and are using generators.
“We woke up that day without power and on Mother’s Day, we got generators for presents,” said Kathleen Sutherland, a 16-year resident of the marina. “How nice is that? They still haven’t fixed it, too.’’
The marina is allowing residents to keep their boats there after July 31 as long as they are not living on them. Currently, both residents who own their boats and renters are searching for new places to live.
“Everyone’s looking for an apartment or just somewhere else to go, because we have to be out by July 31,” said Fernando Cisternas, a resident of the marina for six months.
“They are helping us out by letting us leave our boats there, but it’s not enough,” Sutherland said. “This was just a horrible experience. But in the end, what can you do? I guess it’s just time to move on.”
In recent weeks, renters have faced other problems, too, said a resident who wished to remain unnamed. He said that houseboat owners have been knocking on renters’ doors every day trying to collect rent early and reminding them that their date to be out is coming up soon.
