90-Day Commission and New Customer Service Units Will Reorient Buildings Department to Work Better for New Yorkers and Help Move City Forward
New Effort Follows Initiatives from Commissioner Ulrich to Enhance Customer Service
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Eric A. Ulrich today announced major steps to refocus the DOB on providing improved customer service and supporting the city’s economic recovery. Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ulrich kicked off the “Adams Commission” — a 90-day commission convening stakeholders from labor, industry, the nonprofit sector, and city government to produce a comprehensive blueprint recommending structural improvements at DOB.
Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ulrich kicked off the effort with immediate action, launching two new customer service units: the Small Business Support Team (SBST) and the Major Projects Development Unit (MPDU). These new units will accelerate project timelines by providing dedicated services to ensure applications avoid unnecessary pitfalls.
“Now is the time to change what it’s like to do business with the Department of Buildings and make this agency run more efficiently,” said Mayor Adams. “New Yorkers deserve an agency that prioritizes customer service and safety at the same time, all in service of moving our city forward. Our administration has been cutting red tape since day one, and we will keep going until we have a city that truly works for New Yorkers.”
“The 90-day commission and new service centers tailored to both large and small projects will bring much-needed customer perspective to all DOB processes without ever sacrificing our lifesaving safety standards,” said Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi. “These changes will improve response times and remove unnecessarily complex regulatory hurdles to get shovels in the ground — and projects off the ground — efficiently and safely for all New Yorkers and visitors.”
“When Mayor Adams appointed me as commissioner, he told me to look under the hood of this agency and get to the bottom of what wasn’t working,” said DOB Commissioner Ulrich. “In the past several months, we have been hard at work implementing incremental repairs and tune-ups. With this new commission and these new customer service units, we are announcing the official start of a wholesale rebuild to the way we do business.”
“Adams Commission”
In the next 90 days, 64 industry groups, trade organizations, ownership associations, advocacy groups, and government agencies — with support from DOB experts — will meet and formulate recommendations to improve the DOB, culminating in a report to Mayor Adams and the City Council. Recommendations will focus on eliminating unnecessarily complicated practices, onerous regulatory hurdles, and inefficient workflows. The report will be public once complete.
With the report as a blueprint, the agency will begin implementing recommendations as appropriate in early 2023 through a combination of policy changes, operational modifications, and regulatory reforms. The administration will work with the City Council to make changes requiring legislation.
Small Business Support Team and Major Projects Development Unit
The two new development units at the DOB — the SBST and the MPDU — are fully staffed and now operational. They are helping to troubleshoot project issues, get small businesses up and running, and streamline the development process to help the city’s largest building construction projects break ground. These specialized groups will operate similarly to the existing Affordable Housing Unit, providing guidance and expertise to move projects thoroughly and efficiently through the development pipeline to propel the city’s recovery.
The SBST is dedicated to handling inquiries and project applications from New York City small businesses. Small business owners and entrepreneurs looking to open a new place of business — or renovate an existing one — can receive individualized guidance on any planned construction projects from dedicated SBST plan examiners and project advocates, who will focus on reviewing and approving projects for construction needed to open more small businesses. Dedicated SBST inspectors will also work directly with small businesses to reduce wait times for critical development-related inspections.
The agency has created new internal workflows in its existing online application portal to automatically funnel small business projects to the SBST. Small businesses can avail themselves of the benefits of this new program at the DOB without needing to file an application and at no additional cost.
The new MPDU is dedicated to assisting with proposed tower developments, significant new building and enlargement projects, and other complex projects deemed eligible by the DOB. The unit is now accepting applications for enrollment in this program via the public DOB NOW portal. This initiative will provide one-on-one consultation services for developers of these major projects throughout the development process — helping to improve safety and efficiency by increasing support and collaboration at all stages of the project, helping construction projects start safely, and avoiding costly work stoppages that can draw out construction timelines. This program is first-come, first-served with limited space.
Customer Service Initiatives
Since the start of the Adams administration, the DOB has launched multiple initiatives to enhance customer service operations, including:
- Extending in-person customer service hours at borough offices,
- Reinstating an option for in-person plan examination appointments for construction projects, and
- Committing to significantly reducing overregulation of small businesses.
At the same time, the DOB has continued to expand its robust online transaction services via DOB NOW.
Most recently, the DOB launched “Buildings After Hours,” a weekly customer service event held every Tuesday night from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the five borough offices. This reoccurring open house enables homeowners, small business owners, tenants, buildings managers, and others the opportunity to meet with DOB experts to discuss buildings-related issues. Meetings with DOB staff are completely free, and no appointment is required to attend.
“We applaud Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ulrich for turning over every stone and examining every process to find ways to help our city recover and prosper,” said Chief Climate Officer and New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala. “DOB will be at the center of our work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our building stock and we will need government, industry and the private sector working together if we are to be successful in this existential effort.”
“This is yet another great step to remove administrative burdens and to make government work better for New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of City Planning Director Dan Garodnick. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with DOB to better enforce our zoning rules and to create a more dynamic, efficient city.”
“We’re proud to serve as part of this commission and we look forward to helping the Department of Buildings reassess and reimagine what’s possible as they deliver critical services to New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services Commissioner Dawn M. Pinnock. “Through collaboration and thought partnership there is an opportunity to lay a new foundation to build upon that will benefit countless New Yorkers for generations to come.”
“Coordination with oversight agencies such as DOB is an important part of our plan to improve the city’s capital construction process and the way we build firehouses, libraries and other public buildings,” said New York City Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Thomas Foley. “We’re happy to work with DOB and our sister agencies to make the process more efficient.”
“The economic revival and long-term success of our city depends on our ability to work together as a team and develop bold ideas that better serve all New Yorkers,” said New York City Department of Finance Commissioner Preston Niblack. “We look forward to joining our partners on this commission and assisting the Department of Buildings with laying the groundwork for more effective, efficient, and customer-friendly service in our city.”
“The Health Department looks forward to working alongside DOB and its sister agencies to help improve efficiency and coordination,” said New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan. “We thank Mayor Adams for this initiative that will continue to promote the health and safety of New Yorkers.”
“HPD works hand-in-hand with DOB to ensure residential buildings are up to code and safe for New Yorkers to live in - both existing buildings and new affordable housing developments that we finance,” said New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “We share a commitment to putting people over process and improving customer service for New Yorkers and our partners. This commission will play an important role in improving city processes, and we look forward to working with all of the participants in the days to come.”
“We are proud to be a part of this first of its kind commission to bring positive improvements to the city’s Department of Buildings,” said New York City Department of Parks and Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “With a bevy of top-notch design, construction, and permitting professionals, we look forward to sharing our expertise in the building process to provide improvements to the system while pursuing our mission of stewarding the city’s green infrastructure.”
“Mayor Adams has set a paradigm shift in motion to ensure city government is a true partner to small businesses,” said New York City Department of Small Business Services Commissioner Kevin D. Kim. “SBS is excited to work together with DOB and all our sister agencies to put small businesses at the forefront of our economic recovery. Together, we will ensure New York City says ‘Yes’ to greater opportunity, faster timelines, and more efficient processes for the small businesses at the heart of our economy.”
“DOT is excited to take part in this commission and work collaboratively with DOB to improve agency operations and coordination,” said New York City Department of Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez. “We thank Mayor Adams for launching this commission and promoting cross-agency strategy.”
“We are proud to partner with the Department of Buildings and our partners in industry to ensure businesses can thrive and grow in New York City,” said New York City Fire Department Acting Commissioner Laura Kavanagh. “Working together, we know we can create a safe, streamlined, and customer-centric experience for all those doing business in our city.”
“This commission will offer a much-needed forum for understanding how to streamline our construction processes while also enabling the authority to provide input on the unique industry challenges created by our aging infrastructure,” said New York City Housing Authority Chair and CEO Greg Russ. “We are excited to lend our voices to this vital interagency initiative and look forward to seeing how the common-sense recommendations that come out of this program can be implemented across our portfolio and serve to improve the quality of life for our residents.”
“The School Construction Authority is excited to partner with DOB and other city agencies to further collaborate and improve construction protocols that deliver state-of-the-art facilities while keeping our workers safe,” said New York City School Construction Authority President and CEO Nina Kubota.
“The Port Authority looks forward to participating in a commission of experts drawn from the public and private sectors, who have been tasked with making recommendations to improve the New York City Department of Buildings and its customer service,” said Jim Starace, chief engineer, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
“With the recent growth of New York City’s housing market coupled with a heightened focus on affordable housing, I applaud the mayor’s decision to create a comprehensive blueprint to upgrade and improve the administrating of services offered through the Department of Buildings in a way that brings transparency, while also providing equity and access for all,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “The ‘Adams Commission’ will create the structural improvements needed as 70 industry groups and organizations convene over the next 90 days to review and provide recommendations in areas that include the permitting process, enforcement operations, emergency and complaint response, audits and professional certification programs, sustainability programs, and more. I want to thank Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ulrich for their foresight in seeing this as a necessary step to ensure the Department of Buildings is there to meet the new demands of our ever-evolving housing market.”
“If New York is to successfully complete major infrastructure upgrades and reap the full benefits of the thousands of middle-class careers and economic stimulus they create, we’ll need to ensure these projects maintain the safety and regulatory standards that are in the best interest of onsite workers and surrounding communities,” said Gary LaBarbera, president, Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York. “We thank Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ulrich for committing to these critical details through the creation of this commission, which will focus on the fundamental ways we can improve the Department of Buildings and how it functions. We look forward to working with our fellow committee members to provide solutions for making our construction sites and key development projects safer, more efficient, and as beneficial as possible to our city’s future.”
“We applaud Mayor Adams and Commissioner Ulrich’s efforts to improve the operations of the Department of Buildings with broad public input and mechanisms for greater partnerships between the department and those who engineer New York City’s buildings,” said John Evers, president and CEO, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York. “By soliciting recommendations from the engineering industry, Mayor Adams is showing he values the input of design professionals. We look forward to serving as active participants on the commission and to continuing the engineering community’s strong partnership with DOB to promote safety, sustainability, design excellence, and efficient processes in the building sector.”
“The Structural Engineer’s Association of New York appreciates the opportunity to continue our support for the Department of Buildings and the people of New York through Mayor Adams’ new initiative,” said Erik Madsen, P.E., president, Structural Engineer's Association of New York.
“We commend the Adams administration for recognizing the need for major reforms within the Department of Buildings," said Ben Prosky, executive director, American Institute of Architects New York. “An improved DOB will allow for buildings, especially much-needed housing, to be designed and built faster and safer.”
“It is great that Mayor Adams initiated a dialogue with the design community and builder partners,” said Arpad Baksa, FARA, president, New York Council, The Society of American Registered Architects. “I believe that this dialog will be mutually beneficial and beneficial for the city also.”
“Mayor Adams and the team at City Hall continue to take the input from the business community seriously,” said Lisa Sorin, president, The Bronx Chamber of Commerce. “The establishment of this Department of Buildings commission is another step forward in streamlining business processes, making government more efficient, and modifying antiquated methods with modern solutions to move New York City forward. The Bronx Chamber of Commerce is delighted to support this commission and the new business- and customer-focused departments created within the Department of Buildings.”
“BOMA New York has a long history of close collaboration with the New York City Department of Buildings,” said Lori Raphael, executive director, Building Owners and Managers Association of Greater New York (BOMA New York). “We welcome this opportunity to join the ‘Adams Commission’ alongside a wide array of stakeholders and work with Commissioner Ulrich to create efficiencies, as well as develop innovative policies and processes to further improve DOB customer service.”
“In the midst of a housing crisis, we need to be thinking of new ways to streamline longstanding processes to ensure that new construction, preservations, and inspections happen as efficiently as possible — and that is exactly what this new commission sets out to do,” said Jolie Milstein, president and CEO, New York State Association for Affordable Housing. “We commend the Adams administration and all of our partners at the Department of Buildings for convening a wide array of experts and groups. We look forward to rolling up our sleeves and finding ways to speed up the delivery of much-needed affordable housing to New Yorkers.”
“New York City is already a leader among American cities in the sustainability and decarbonization of its buildings,” said Ellen Honigstock RA, LEED AP, director of education, Urban Green. “Urban Green Council is proud to participate in the ‘Adams Commission’ to ensure a safer, healthier city for all New Yorkers.”
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