Buildings Interactive Map with sites required to provide safety training shown as red dots. Image Credit: DOB.
The map is part of Department of Buildings’ effort to ensure that workers are aware of required Site Safety Training on large-scale projects. On June 27, 2019, the Department of Buildings announced the release of a new interactive map on its website, showing the location of City construction sites where workers and site supervisors must conduct safety training pursuant to Local Law 196 of 2017. The law requires training for workers at large-scale construction projects, such as major alterations or new building projects. The map allows workers and supervisors to search the address of their worksite to see if their worksite requires safety training. (read more…)
Image Credit: NYC DOB.
La Rocca will head the agency responsible for nearly 1.1 million buildings and over 45,000 active construction sites in New York City. On May 6, 2019, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that Melanie La Rocca will be the new Commissioner of the Department of Buildings. La Rocca will begin on June 3rd. (read more…)
Image Credit: Department of Buildings
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 public information about the City’s buildings and construction sites. The map’s information will allow the user to better understand the recent movement in the construction industry and DOB compliance activities in the City. (read more…)
Council Member Brad Lander sponsored Int. 1004, which establishes a pilot program creating legal basement apartments in East New York. Image Credit: Official NYC Council Photo by John McCarten
The program will bring currently illegal basement and cellar apartments up to code, and allow for additional basement and cellar apartments to be created. On February 13, 2019, the New York City Council passed legislation, titled Introduction 1004, establishing a pilot program which allows for the creation and alteration of habitable apartments in basements and cellars in one and two-family dwellings in East New York. The program seeks to address the lack of affordable housing within New York City. (read more…)
Image Credit: Office of the Comptroller
Comptroller’s Audit Reveals Multiple Deficiencies in how Buildings Oversees Field Inspectors.
On December 21, 2018, Comptroller Scott M. Stringer published an audit of Department of Buildings’ oversight of its field inspectors that covered the period of July 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017. The audit reviewed the oversight of 86 field inspectors working in six units: the Building Enforcement Safety Unit, the Special Operations unit, each of Brooklyn and Queens’s Construction Enforcement units, and each of Brooklyn and Queens’s Construction Development units. The audit concluded that Buildings was not following its oversight procedures which resulted in an inability to identify weaknesses with their inspectors and their field inspections.
(read more…)
Image Credit: NYC DOB.
Despite increase in developments, construction in New York City has leveled. On January 22, 2019, Department of Buildings Commissioner, Rick D. Chandler, released a report on the City’s construction in 2018. The most significant finding from the report was that the City’s construction activity has leveled off after its real estate and development boom. The number of construction permits Buildings issued decreased in 2018. In 2018, Buildings issued 165,908 construction permits while in 2017, they issued 168,243. This was the first decline in permits since 2009. Despite the decrease, 2018’s permit totals were the second highest on record. In response to the report’s findings, Commissioner Chandler states that the building boom “may have finally reached its peak.” (read more…)
