A resident of Great Neck, New York, has filed a federal lawsuit against the Village of Great Neck and its Building Department, alleging that her constitutional and property rights were infringed upon in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause.
According to the complaint filed by plaintiff Olimpiada Munteanu, she purchased a house at 130 Baker Hill Rd., Great Neck, on July 30, 2021. She alleges that her mortgage required substantial renovations within 90 days and that she submitted a contractual note to the Building Department requesting a temporary permit. The request was denied, and Munteanu proceeded with repairs without approval. Her home was boarded up by officials on November 16, 2021.
Munteanu claims she was denied access to her property between that date and May 2022, despite repeated attempts to contact local officials. In February 2022, she alleges that officials instructed village staff not to communicate with her directly, directing her instead to correspond through legal counsel. Munteanu states that she was unable to schedule required inspections, which delayed permit approval for over 20 months.
She also alleges that she was unable to address maintenance issues at the property, including a leaking roof, and that she suffered financial losses from rented construction equipment that remained onsite and unused.
The complaint references a public meeting during which Munteanu says Building Department Superintendent Haramis stated he could deny her entry to the property for two years. She further alleges that during this meeting, Haramis made inaccurate claims about her conduct regarding stop work orders and contractor access, which she denies.
Munteanu seeks over $1 million in damages for what she describes as emotional distress, reputational harm, and property access restrictions without due process. She is representing herself in the matter.
The case was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York under case number 2:25-cv-02458-GRB-ARL and is being heard by Judge Gary R. Brown and Magistrate Judge Arlene R. Lindsay.