UPDATE: On February 1, 2017, the City Council voted 47-0 to approve four bills that would help protect tenants of three-quarter houses in New York City. During the vote, Council Member Donovan Richards called three-quarter houses a wide spread problem that would not be cured by the bills and that the City would need to track progress on the issue to determine future responses. Council Member Ritchie Torres called predatory operators of three-quarter houses the … <Read More>
Search Results for: Building Code
City Council Committee Searches for Green Roof Standards and Impetus
City Council’s good faith attempt to provide standards for green roofs falls short. On October 28, 2016, the City Council’s Committee on Environmental Protection held a hearing regarding Introduction 0835-2015, which would amend the building code to establish standards for the selection, installation and maintenance of plants for green roof systems. The proposed legislation would incorporate into the building code a manual by the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM E 2400, which … <Read More>
New Bill by Council Member Gentile Takes Aim at Illegal Home Conversions
Proposal imposes steep fines on bad actors, and helps Buildings inspectors gain premises access. On June 21, 2016, New York City Council Members Vincent J. Gentile, Jumaane D. Williams, and Barry S. Grodenchik introduced legislation that would impose high penalties on bad actor landlords and equip the Department of Buildings with means to gain entry into suspected illegal conversion sites. This bill was developed with the support of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, after a … <Read More>
City Council Land Use Committee Unanimously Approves New York Wheel Modifications [UPDATE: City Council Approves Modifications]
The modifications would alter the parking garage, restaurant, and other amenities. On October 22, 2015, the City Council Committee on Land Use unanimously approved New York Wheel LLC’s application to modify the previously-approved special permit for the construction of the New York Wheel, located on the St. George Waterfront in Staten Island. The New York Wheel originally succeeded through the Uniform Land Use Review Procedure process in 2013, but is now seeking approval for … <Read More>
Elected Officials, Community Groups Rally Against Mayor’s Citywide Rezoning Plan
Speakers argued the plan eliminates residential zoning protections with little affordable housing benefit. On March 25, 2015 the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation held a press conference on the steps of City Hall to protest Mayor Bill de Blasio’s proposed citywide rezoning plan, “Zoning for Quality and Affordability”. According to the Department of City Planning, the plan was created in response to zoning barriers identified by DCP and the Department of … <Read More>
City Council, Borough President Push Against Illegal Home Conversions
The new legislation was announced in the wake of fire fatalities. On March 8, 2015 Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams held a press conference to announce new legislation to stop illegal home conversions in New York City. The legislation is co-sponsored by Councilmember Vincent Gentile, who has previously introduced two other bills to halt illegal conversions, and is introduced at the request of Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams. An illegal home conversion occurs when … <Read More>