Spitzer Puts the Kibosh on DOB Inspection Bill
On Tuesday Governor Spitzer vetoed a bill that would have required the DOB to reduce the time it takes to reinspect buildings cited for hazardous conditions. The bill called for reinspections every two months; at present, the DOB’s window for revisiting buildings with outstanding violations can stretch up to four months. Mayor Bloomberg had urged…
On Tuesday Governor Spitzer vetoed a bill that would have required the DOB to reduce the time it takes to reinspect buildings cited for hazardous conditions. The bill called for reinspections every two months; at present, the DOB’s window for revisiting buildings with outstanding violations can stretch up to four months. Mayor Bloomberg had urged the governor to veto the bill, which was introduced by Assemblyman James Brennan. The mayor said the measure would tax DOB resources, interfere with how owners deal with violations, and potentially cost the city up to $4 million a year. In a press release, Assemblyman Brennan said the mayor’s reasons for opposing the bill were without merit. Brennan noted that the enforcement of the building code has gross shortcomings, and $4 million is a drop in the bucket in light of the city’s $60 billion budget. Unfortunately, many Brooklyn residents—not least, the neighbors of 406 15th Street (above)—have come to know the DOB’s gross shortcomings all too well, and it seems that familiarity may continue for some time now. Was the political opposition purely a matter of the cost of implementation—or could it have something to do with the fact that developers are among the most generous contributors to political campaigns?
Spitzer Vetoes Building Inspection Measure [NY Times]
Video: Lots of Damage, No Control on 15th Street [Brownstoner]
Uh, since when does Bloomberg take campaign contributions? That’s one hell of an ad hominem.
Brennan made an effort to point that out directly to the Gov and Mayor Mike after the veto.
Who cares if a few more people get killed or adjacent buildings damaged beyond repair due to dangerous work sites. Cost of doing business in NYC, right?
Given the recent inspection horrors that were brought to light by the Deutsch Bank fisaco, this sounds like an especially ill-thought out decision politically speaking.
Is not Spitzer’s dad a large real estate developer
Agreed with the above poster. Think of how many bad sites (not talking one or two small violations here, I mean tons of 311 complaints, DOB violations, ECB violations and SWO’s) could have been forced into compliance, with less quality of life impact to neighborhoods and damage to properties if such a bill had been in place over the past few years in Bklyn.
But the Governor is in Albany and I think the Mayor has set foot in Bklyn may be 3 times in his tenure. Too bad politicos like AM Brennan, who has been in the trenches all this time, are not given more credit, let alone thought to their committee’s bills.
I guess the pen is mightier than a back hoe.
Sounds like a bonehead move to me, both practically and politically. I’d think most of the public would have been in favor od the bill.