Some Teeth (And Some Cash) For DOB Enforcement
En garde, scofflaw builders: Your days of terrorizing Brooklyn with illegal construction may be numbered. The DOB now has more power to crack down on architects and engineers who have abused the city’s self-certification system, and the department is putting measures into place to beef up its special ops teams. Governor Spitzer enacted a law…
En garde, scofflaw builders: Your days of terrorizing Brooklyn with illegal construction may be numbered. The DOB now has more power to crack down on architects and engineers who have abused the city’s self-certification system, and the department is putting measures into place to beef up its special ops teams. Governor Spitzer enacted a law (referred to in some circles as the Scarano/Radusky bill”) that empowers the DOB to refuse to accept plans filed by self-certifiers who have previously submitted inaccurate building plans. Assemblyman Jim Brennan, who spearheaded the bill, said in a statement that it gives DOB the tools to get tough with professionals who, frequently in league with developers, take advantage of the system and flout the law. In a separate piece of news, Buildings commish Patricia Lancaster announced that the DOB is going to shell out $6 million as part of a recruitment drive for the department’s new special operations teams. Per the press release sent out yesterday, the two teams will use crack down on builders who flout the law. The department is looking to bring on 67 new employees, including architects, engineers, inspectors, lawyers, analysts and investigators; of the fresh hires, 21 will work exclusively on the special operations teams. DOB spokeswoman Carly Sullivan said the recruitment drive was part and parcel of a larger departmental effort in which “every professionally-certified application for a new building or alteration type-1 permit will be reviewed for common zoning infractions.” All well and good, but what is everyone in the South Slope and Greenwood Heights going to do for recreation if builders and architects actually start obeying the law?
Press Release [nyc.gov]
Brennan Writes “Laundry List” of Building Legislation [Brownstoner]
Photo by blanviper
The DOB has been dragging its heels for twenty years, at least. Between pay-offs and looking the other way, many buildings have disappeared from the landscape. I wish and hope things change, but we have had laws on the books for fifty years and noone has obeyed them. The flavor and texture of all five boros has been changed for the worse
because landlords decided to neglect their
buildings. I had a brownstone next to a building that did’t maintain. It was a nightmare until I sold.
I am here to say that what has been going on in Brooklyn is a travesty. It seems
we live in a society that is geared for self
promotion, and the heck with laws and the communtiy,
The real thing that gets me is that the building boom is practically over, and a lot of the malfeasance has already gone undetected or unpunished. Seriously — Scarano and his developers should have to knock off a couple stories from their FAR violating monstronsities. That would put an end to the shenanigans right quick.
Um, no. Bruno is a douche. Spitzer effing rocks. He could, perhaps, be a little more diplomatic…
Also up for the Gov’s vote next week:
A7800(Brennan)/S5223(Padavan) imposes a duty on the DOB to re-inspect and seek correction of all hazardous building violations.
and
A7748(Brennan)/S5246(Padavan) abolishes the exemption from the duty of contractors to shore up adjacent properties for excavation of less than 10 feet. The bill also compels developers to carry insurance for damage for construction, demolition and excavation. This bill is supported by the office of the Mayor.
(source AM Brennan PR 05.01.07)
Hmm. Holding DOB accountable to re-inspect sites and actually asking developer’s to carry liability insurance. Is it me, or shouldn’t this already be on the books? Astounding.
“but what is everyone in the South Slope and Greenwood Heights going to do for recreation if builders and architects actually start obeying the law?”
Grab a 6-pack and hang out on the front stoop…doing nothing, for once.
“terrorizing” — really? Overstating it a bit, dontcha think? Perhaps “angering” would be a more appropriate term. Let’s save “terror” and “terrorizing” for the real deals which are, unfortunately, all too in evidence even right across the river.
Spitzer is a douche.