In October 1971, police raided Grey Gardens and found the 28-room house "full of litter, rife with the odor of cats and in violation of various local ordinances". The Suffolk County, New York Board of Health prepared to evict Beale and "Little Edie" due to the unsafe condition of the property. Following the publicity, Beale's family paid a reported $30,000 to refurbish the property, settle back taxes, and give Beale and "Little Edie" a stipend (the two women's trust fund income had run out some years before). The eviction proceedings were dropped.