The Town of Brookhaven has passed a parking ordinance that has divided parts of the Stony Brook community.

The new law is aimed at cracking down on the overcrowding of rental houses surrounding Stony Brook University.

The law allows the rental homes to have as many vehicles as bedrooms, plus an additional vehicle. The restrictions only affect rental homes.

The Stony Brook Concerned Homeowners say the ordinance is a step toward protecting the quality of life in the community. They say they hope the new law will serve as a deterrent to landlords who allow too many college students to pack single-family homes.

A coalition of landlords and residents in Brookhaven says they feel the new rule is unconstitutional and that the law should also apply to homeowners. They say they are looking into taking legal action against the town.

The town attorney's office told News 12 that the government sometimes has to push the constitutional boundaries to protect the safety of the public.