A United States Navy Veteran is now pursuing a legal battle against the town officials of West Hempstead, after the demolition of his home during his several months of absence after undergoing a surgery.
According to the report of the Associated Press, the home of U.S. Navy Veteran Philip Williams was demolished by the town officials during the Spring. The officials of West Hempstead deemed the two-storey home of Williams unfit for habituation and leveled it to ground. During this time, Williams spent six months recovering from surgical complications in Fort Lauderdale.
"I'm angry and I'm upset. It's just wrong on so many levels," he said. "My mortgage was up to date, my property taxes were up to date ... everything was current and fine."
The Huffington Post reported that Williams left New York for Florida last December 2014 for a knee replacement procedure. His stay in Florida lengthened due to infections which forced further surgeries and a heart complication. The doctors allowed Williams to go home just last August.
When Williams got home, he was surprised that the land where his home was built was now an empty lot.
In a report by WPXI, the town officials said that they tried to contact Williams and even provided The Associated Press with copies of letters that were said to have been mailed to the home and to banks. Officials also held a public hearing before pushing through with the demolition.
Williams said that there was no letter that was received by him. He also said that he couldn't quite grasp why the letters were mailed to four separate banks where he never had accounts.
"I have no idea who those banks are," Williams said. "But they never contacted me in any way, shape or form."
"The town basically took everything from me," added Williams, who is now staying with a friend in Florida and has only two suitcases of belongings. "The town does not have a right to take all of my property, all of my possessions."
