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>
Search Results for: Legislation
Illegal Conversion Legislation Considered [UPDATE: City Council Passes Bill]
UPDATE: On May 10, 2017, the City Council voted 49-0 approve the new legislation. The new law, sponsored by Council Members Vincent Gentile and Jumaane Williams, increases the minimum civil penalty for immediate hazardous illegal conversions to $15,000 fine for each dwelling unit beyond the number that are legally authorized. The legislation was proposed after a two-alarm fire in an illegally converted unit in East Flatbush, Brooklyn killed one person, injured five more, and … <Read More>
Committee Hears Testimony from DOB on 21 Pieces of Construction Safety Legislation
Housing Committee hears testimony on 21 pieces of legislation to address 30 deaths at construction sites in past two years, including requiring apprenticeship training citywide. On January 31, 2017, the City Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings heard testimony on a large package of bills concerning construction safety in New York City. Chair Jumaane Williams began the eight-hour long hearing by reading the names of the 30 workers that lost their lives in construction accidents … <Read More>
Legislation Proposed For Online List of All Affordable Apartments
Bill would require all landlords of affordable apartments to publicly list their properties through the portal. At the City Council stated meeting on Monday, December 7, 2015 Council Member Ben Kallos introduced Intro 1015, a proposed law that would require property owners that receive tax credits in exchange for building affordable housing units to publicly list those units in an online portal. The bill is co-sponsored by Council Members Jumaane Williams and Rosie … <Read More>
Legislation Introduced on Sidewalk Accessibility
Bill would increase penalties on property owners for failing to maintain pedestrian curb ramps. On June 26, 2015, New York City Councilmember Ben Kallos introduced a bill that would increase responsibility on the property owner for maintaining pedestrian curb ramps connecting City sidewalks to crosswalks. A study by the Center for the Independence of the Disabled New York found that out of 1,000 curbs located in lower Manhattan, 75 percent were hazardous for disabled residents.
Council Subcommittees Hear Four Proposed Bills on Increasing Transparency in Land Use
The four proposed bills would provide the community and elected officials with the tools to make informed decisions about developments in their neighborhoods. On September 26, 2019, the City Council’s Land Use and Governmental Operations Committees held a hearing on four proposed bills that will increase transparency regarding new developments in the City, specifically with the transfer of development rights and testimony at the Board of Standards and Appeals. The four bills are a response … <Read More>