12th Street Block Association

Notice of 11-15-06 Public Hearing on DOB

This is an urgent issue affecting all community members

From: "Assemblymember James Brennan" brennaj@assembly.state.ny.us
Subject: Notice of 11-15-06 Public Hearing on DOB
Date: Thursday, November 09, 2006 1:16 PM

Please see attached Public Hearing Notice and Response Form for the NYS
Assembly's Continued Public Hearing on the DOB, to be held
on 11/9/06. If you are interested in testifying, please fax the response
form to Albany.

Wednesday, November 15, 2006***
10:00 AM
Assembly Hearing Room
250 Broadway, Room 1923
19th Floor
New York City

The Assembly Committee on Cities, chaired by Assemblymember James F. Brennan, will hold a public hearing on November 15, 2006 to continue its examination of the NYC Department of Building’s regulation of
construction and development in regard to the public’s health and
safety. The hearing will provide the material for developing a
legislative agenda to improve public safety and zoning and building code
compliance.

“There is intense public concern about this issue, and it reaches into
every community in this city,” said Brennan. “The current building boom
has spawned a class of developers who, in their greed for the biggest
buck, have figured out how to operate below the DOB radar. This has to
stop. And the DOB has to be fully accountable and fully functional. Its
means of monitoring construction at every stage has to improve.”

This adjourned hearing, following its earlier hearing of September 7,
2006, will consider DOB’s accountability, inspection and enforcement
procedures in regard to laws that protect public safety and building
integrity. The hearing will be co-sponsored by the Assembly’s Codes
Committee, chaired by Assemblymember Joseph Lentol and by the Assembly’s Housing Committee, chaired by Assemblymember Vito Lopez.

“It’s become all too common to hear of construction worker deaths,
buildings that are several stories too high, adjacent buildings
collapsing, or innocent families forced out of their own homes because
of shoddy construction practices next door. The common thread is the
lack of deterrence created by an inadequate enforcement system. The DOB has to have the tools and means to fulfill its responsibilities. If new
laws are needed to put teeth into DOB enforcement practices, let’s pass
those laws,” said Brennan.

Form and Fax #

I don't have the form to sign up to testify, and don't know the fax number to send it to - but I'm posting Jim Brennan's email address to this page so that anyone interested can get more information on that.

Email us
brennaj@assembly.state.ny.us