A local homeowner in East Hampton was cited this week for using a large inflatable bounce house as living quarters for his staff.
Police became aware of the situation when the man’s neighbors called to complain about a bounce house that had remained inflated on the man’s property for several days.
“This was a large, orange bounce house, or what we used to call a moonwalk, like you might see at a fun fair,” Hamptons Police spokesman Larry Hirsch said. “You couldn’t miss it in the guy’s yard, and the air compressor that kept it inflated made a terrible racket day and night.”
Hirsch reported that it appeared that the homeowner’s cook, butler, chauffeur and personal secretary were using the bounce house as a communal bedroom.
“This particular guy had gone to the town to try to get them to allow him to add an addition to his already sizable house in order to have quarters for his help,” Hirsch said. “I guess when the town said no way, he must have thought he could get away with putting them up in an inflatable.”
Hirsch explained that this is the first time such a housing arrangement has come to the attention of the local police, but he wouldn’t be surprised if other people are trying something similar.
In recent years, the Hamptons Police Department has given citations and made arrests for residents renting out bizarre spaces such as an igloo, a doghouse, sheds, a pool house, artist studios and more.
