There was a short item in yesterday’s NY Times reporting that the City Council had approved two new bills on Wednesday that take aim at the corner-cutting contracting industry. The first, sponsored by Brooklyn Councilman Domenic M. Recchia Jr., makes demolishing a one- or two-family home without a required permit a misdemeanor, with violators subject to fines or jail time as well as civil penalties. The second one, sponsored by another Brooklyn Councilman, Vincent J. Gentile, raises the penalties for contractors who defy DOB stop-work orders. “New York City is serious about cracking down on violations of stop work orders,” said Gentile. “Contractors will not get away with intentionally violating the law and writing penalties off as a cost of doing business.”

Have any other publications covered this?
Curbing Illegal Construction [NY Times]
Council to Stiffen Consequences for Construction Violations [NYC Council]