HDC to errant home-owners: Stop breaking rules

THE Housing Development Corporation is urging everyone in Oropune Gardens who is in breach of community rules to “do the right thing” before it resorts to the same action taken against businessman Anthony “One Foot” Knights. On Wednesday, the HDC tore down structures erected by Knights for use as a hardware store and a mini-mart.

In e-mail correspondence with Newsday, HDC officials said over the past year, they had gone on verification exercises and noticed some homeowners in Oropune Gardens had breached the procedures agreed on when they were given ownership of the home.

Knights, one of those who committed major breaches, was given a notice to quit, which warned that he should take down the structures he built and stop running businesses out of his home. On Wednesday, Knights told Newsday he had had a meeting with HDC officials who gave him temporary permission to run the businesses.

HDC officials confirmed they did have a meeting with Knights, but they said at the meeting Knights agreed to take immediate action to remedy the breaches. When this did not happen, HDC officials took matters into their own hands.

Some of the rules and regulations included in the booklet of procedures given to HDC homeowners include refraining from illegal activities, desisting from coming in possession of illegal guns and refusing to sell alcohol or illegal drugs out of the home.

The booklet also dictates that the homes are for living purposes only and homeowners are prohibited from running any businesses out of their houses. In addition, no part of the home can be used to advertise or make any public announcement.