HPD to Redevelop Vacant Buildings for Homeless Families

HPD issues the Property Pathways RFEI seeking vacant, or partially vacant multifamily buildings that can be redeveloped into permanent housing for vulnerable New Yorkers. On December 19, 2019, Housing Preservation and Development announced its release of Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) for its new Property Pathways initiative. The Property Pathways initiative identifies privately-owned properties throughout the city with at least ten units that can be converted into safe and secure permanent housing to be … <Read More>


Buildings to Strengthen Facade Inspection Process

Safety sweep of 1,331 facades found that 220 needed additional pedestrian protections. On December 30, 2019, the Department of Buildings Commissioner, Melanie E. La Rocca, announced enhancements to Buildings’ existing facade inspection process. Buildings will double its existing facade inspection team by hiring twelve new staff positions to the unit, including eleven inspectors. The current staff includes eleven facade inspectors, eleven administrative support staff, and six technical staff.



Buildings Releases Interactive Map on City’s Buildings and Construction Sites

The map provides a 12-month snapshot of building permits, complaints, inspections, violations, and accident reports for every property in the city. On March 8, 2019, Buildings released the DOB Buildings Profiles Map, a new, interactive map that provides insight into Buildings’ interactions with the nearly 1.1 million buildings and 45,000 active construction sites it regulates. The map is Buildings’ latest tool in a series of interactive dashboards, reports, and data tools to give the … <Read More>


Landmarks Approves New Plans for Garage Buildings in Bedford Stuyvesant HD

The new plans address many concerns that Landmarks and community members had with the previously approved plans. On January 8, 2018, the Landmarks Preservation Commission voted to approve new plans for a set of 20th century utilitarian buildings at 524-536 Halsey Street in the Bedford Stuyvesant/Expanded Stuyvesant Heights Historic District in Brooklyn. Both buildings were most recently used as garages. One building is a three-story Queen Anne style which the applicant proposes to rehabilitate … <Read More>


New Legislation Leads to SCA Disclosing Methods for New School Buildings

City Council’s new legislation seeks to combat overcrowded New York City Schools through new efficient methods in choosing new school building projects. On September 12, 2018, the City Council announced it will require the School Construction Authority to disclose how it evaluates the location and time frame of new schools being built. City Council Member Ben Kallos authored the measure, Introduction 729, in response to overcrowding in New York City public elementary and middle schools … <Read More>