DEC ANNOUNCES OCT. 16 OPENING OF STATE’S NEW CATCH-AND-RELEASE SEASON IN TROUT STREAMS

 

New Season Expands Opportunities for Trout Stream Fishing Year-Round

 New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos today reminded anglers that the State’s new catch-and-release trout stream season begins on Oct. 16, expanding recreational opportunities.

 

“Using science, research, and public input, DEC is increasing fishing opportunities while advancing responsible trout management in order to ensure trout reach their fullest ecological and recreational potential,” Commissioner Seggos said. “New York State’s new catch-and-release season in trout streams expands opportunities for anglers so they can enjoy the State’s trout stream fishing resources year-round.”

 

The new catch-and-release trout stream season is a product of DEC’s Statewide Trout Stream Management Plan, developed to improve and modernize the State’s management of its trout stream fishing resources. The new season, which runs from Oct. 16 - March 31, requires anglers to use only artificial lures and immediately release trout they catch. The catch-and-release season applies to trout streams only. Fishing for trout in lakes and ponds is prohibited after Oct. 15, unless these waters are managed under a special regulation that allows for angling. Anglers should consult DEC’s regulations guide for regulations associated with lakes and ponds that harbor trout before fishing.

 

This time period was traditionally closed to trout stream fishing as a precautionary measure during the reproductive period for wild trout. DEC biologists concluded that fishing during the spawning season will not result in negative fishery impacts. To provide due diligence, DEC will conduct an Angler Use and Wild Trout Young-of-Year Recruitment Study to gauge angling pressure and young-of-year trout abundance on a statewide sample of 19 wild trout stream reaches from 2021-2024. DEC biologists will use the results of the study to evaluate the new regulation and guide future management. Anglers are reminded to use best practices when releasing fish to ensure trout are returned to the stream immediately and unharmed. Visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9223.html for more information on catching and releasing fish. 

 

Anglers venturing to inland trout streams this fall should check out the DEC’s Interactive Trout Stream Fishing Map on the DECinfo Locator. The map provides anglers with a one-stop-shop for information about stocking, fishing access, season dates, and regulations. DEC encourages anglers to use this resource before hitting the water, so they are aware of all the trout stream fishing opportunities available to them both locally and afar.

For more information on freshwater fishing in New York waters, go to DEC’s Freshwater Fishing Regulations Guide at https://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7917.html. Anglers interested in receiving information about fishing and fisheries management in New York can subscribe to the Fishing Line Newsletter at https://www.dec.ny.gov/public/65855.html.

Pelham Parkway Neighborhood Association October Meeting, Tuesday October 12, 2021 - 2134 Barnes Avenue 7 PM

 

Join us as the PPNA has their monthly community  meeting  on Tuesday  October  12, 2021 at 7pm at our new location 2134 Barnes Avenue (on the corner of Lydig Avenue and Barnes Avenue). We will welcome from the NYC Dept of Sanitation Citywide Community Affairs Officer Mr. Stephen J. Caruso Jr.  This is your opportunity to bring your issues, questions and concerns and problems  to this meeting. Involvement from the community  is essential  to having a safe ,clean, and graffiti  free neighborhood.  Its time to get  involved in your community  and stay involved .Your  problems get addressed and action taken. Show  up  and speak up! 

FIVE YOUTHS, EIGHT MEN INDICTED FOR CRIMES INCLUDING MURDERS OF TWO BOYS, NON-FATAL SHOOTING, CARJACKINGS

 

Rival Crews Committed Retaliation Shootings, Crimes Against Bronx Residents From May Through July; Ballistics Recovered From Boys’ Killings Matched to Nine Other Shootings

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark and New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea today announced that 13 people—including five 16-year-old boys—have been indicted on charges related to the fatal shootings of a 13-year-old, a 16-year-old, and the non-fatal shooting of two men, as well as car jackings and robberies in the Bronx that occurred from May through July. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “These defendants are charged in a string of violent crimes, culminating in the murders of two boys, that contributed to a brutal summer. These indictments are an assurance to the people of the Bronx that we will hold accountable anyone who brings gunfire to our streets. But these indictments are also a tragic chronicle of a lost generation: boys and young men who turned to guns, and two lives were taken and 14 lives have been squandered. We must do something to change the course of our young people who gravitate to gangs so that they do not wind up committing serious crimes. We are experiencing an utter catastrophe in the Bronx.”

 Commissioner Shea said, “This is yet another case illustrating the endless stream of guns in our city and their devastating impact on victims’ lives. Each gun seized tells the story of kids and others gunned down in the street, of mothers and loved ones in mourning, and of neighborhoods traumatized. We remain thankful today for the courage and tenacity of our NYPD investigators and our partners in the Bronx district attorney’s office for their ceaseless commitment to public safety and for meeting this violence with meaningful consequences.” 

 District Attorney Clark said defendants Jahlil Califf, 16, and Justin Baez, 18, were charged with second-degree Murder and Manslaughter in the death of 13-year-old Jaryan Elliott; and Alec McFarlane, 16, and Tyquan Howard, 16, were charged with second-degree Murder and Manslaughter in the death of 16-year-old Ramon Gil-Medrano. Baez is also charged with Attempted Murder for a double non-fatal shooting.

 They and the other defendants—Marcus Odom, 16, Mekhi Williams, 20, Hasib Cutts, 19, Jonathan Westbury, 18, Elyesha Cook, 21, Tyshawn McClure, 20, Damian James, 20, and Dante Thomas, 21—are variously charged with second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Conspiracy to Commit Murder, fourth-degree Conspiracy, third and fourth-degree Grand Larceny, and first, second, third-degree Robbery.

 They were arrested on various dates and have been arraigned on the indictment.

 According to the investigation, the shootings involved members of two rival neighborhood crews, the 800 YGs based in Belmont and Thirdside, who are based in the Norwood/Mosholu area of the Bronx.

 The indictments charge these crimes:

 on May 24, 2021, Baez allegedly carjacked a Toyota Camry; 

 on June 24, 2021, Baez and Westbury allegedly carjacked a 2020 Mercedes Benz and robbed a person at gunpoint;

 on July 11, 2021, Califf allegedly fatally shot Jaryan Elliot on East 187th Street; 

 on July 11, 2021, McFarlane and Howard, riding on scooter, allegedly fatally shot Ramon Gil-Medrano, 16, who was inside a livery cab driving on East 178th Street;

 on July 12, 2021, Baez drove a vehicle and he and others allegedly shot two 19-year-old rival gang members on East 184th Street and Washington Avenue; 

 on July 14, 2021, McClure, Thomas and James were in a stolen vehicle with a loaded firearm; 

 on July 14, 2021, Cook posessed a loaded 9-mm pistol that was used in the homicide of Jaryan Elliott;

on July 23, 2021, Califf, Odom, Pearce and Westbury allegedly were in a stolen vehicle with two loaded firearms; 

 on July 23, 2021, Baez and Westbury robbed two people of property. 

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detectives Frank Orlando and Brianna Cosentino, Detectives Michael Delgardo and Pat Nichols of the NYPD Gun Violence Suppression Division, Detective Kevin Godspeed of Queens South Homicide Squad, Police Officer Jordan Moses of the 48th Precinct, and the 48th , 46th , 52nd and 49th Precinct Detective Squads and Patrol Officers.

An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

NEW YORK CITY ADOPTS ZONING RULES TO ADVANCE TRANSIT ACCESSIBILITY

 

Elevate Transit: Zoning for Accessibility will expand zoning tools to deliver transit station accessibility improvements

 

Initiative incentivizes private developers to incorporate station accessibility projects or build improvements at nearby MTA stations while saving taxpayer dollars

 Mayor Bill de Blasio, the New York City Council, and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the approval of Elevate Transit: Zoning for Accessibility, a collaboration between the MTA, City Council, the Department of City Planning (DCP) and the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) to boost New York City’s push to make its transit system fully accessible. The initiative will allow the MTA to leverage planned private development to achieve a fully accessible transit system faster, while saving taxpayer dollars as the MTA faces financial challenges caused by the ongoing pandemic.

 

Zoning for Accessibility incentivizes private developers to design their buildings to incorporate public station accessibility projects or build the improvements at nearby MTA stations. It creates a new set of tools – and strengthens existing ones – that build off the MTA’s commitment of over $5 billion of funding for 77 accessible subway, Long Island Rail Road, Metro-North Railroad and Staten Island Railway station projects within New York City in the 2020-2024 MTA Capital Plan.

 

“Building a recovery for all of us means making public transportation accessible to everyone who rides it – especially seniors, young families, and New Yorkers with mobility disabilities,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “I’m proud to work across government to drive greater investment in these accessibility improvements, and I look forward to collaborating on more creative ideas to make our city fairer and more equitable.”

 

"Elevate Transit: Zoning for Accessibility is an important step in advancing a fair and equitable recovery for all New Yorkers. These zoning levers add another tool in our toolkit to meet our accessibility goals and better serve people with mobility disabilities, senior citizens, and transit riders as a whole," said Deputy Mayor for Housing and Economic Development Vicki Been. “We thank the City Council, the MTA, and all the city agencies involved for their collaboration and leadership to make this creative idea a reality."

 

“Everyone deserves access to our transit system but unfortunately only a third of New York City’s train stations are easily accessible for people with disabilities. We can do better, which is why in my 2019 State of the City address, I outlined a plan for developers to help build new elevators and take other measures to make more subways and train stations ADA compliant. This is a game-changer for millions of New Yorkers, including seniors, disabled people, parents of young children, and anyone who has a harder time getting around. I’m proud of the Council’s role in helping bring together the Department of City Planning and the MTA to advance this proposal. This success shows the Council’s effectiveness in convening solutions to complex citywide problems and I hope it’s something we do more in the future,” said Speaker Corey Johnson.

 

“Zoning for Accessibility builds on the MTA’s historic $5.2 billion investment in making our transit system more accessible, by using private development to accelerate ADA upgrades,” said MTA Acting Chair and CEO Janno Lieber. “This initiative reflects Governor Hochul and the MTA’s shared commitment to all New Yorkers — particularly riders with mobility disabilities, seniors, and parents of young children — to modernize the entire transit system as quickly and efficiently as possible.”

 

“The approval of Zoning for Accessibility is a significant milestone in our efforts to make New York the most accessible city in the world,” said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities and MTA Board Member. “The MTA is already working hard on the design and construction of additional accessibility projects.  With the introduction of new private dollars through Zoning for Accessibility, the MTA will be able to complete more accessibility projects on a faster timeline.”

 

“The passage of Zoning for Accessibility is an exciting moment in the MTA’s efforts to expand accessibility to all New Yorkers across the entirety of our transit system,” said MTA Chief Accessibility Officer Quemuel Arroyo. “This legislation will harness the power of public-private partnerships to speed up accessibility enhancements and create a more equitable city for all New Yorkers and visitors alike.”

 

“Zoning for Accessibility is a major win for all New Yorkers. With this joint planning initiative, we’ll make life easier and fairer for those with disabilities, parents of young children, senior citizens and so many more,” said DCP Director Anita Laremont.

 

The innovative proposal allows developers to help deliver transit station accessibility throughout the city in two ways:

 

Easement Certification

This provision requires developers of most mid-or-high-density sites adjacent to subway, Staten Island Railway, Long Island Rail Road, and Metro-North Railroad stations within New York City to consult with the MTA first to determine whether the MTA needs an easement (permanent access to a small piece of property) for future accessibility projects at the adjacent station. Easements can play a critical role in helping to reduce expensive, time-consuming barriers to constructing elevators, such as underground utility relocations, and allow for station designs that better serve riders. If an easement is necessary, the developer would receive targeted zoning relief to offset the creation of an easement.

 

Transit Improvement Bonus

This provision expands the existing “transit improvement bonus” from central business districts to other high-density areas in the city. This program incentivizes private developers to directly fund and build new transit station access improvements, such as elevators or other circulation improvements at already accessible stations, in exchange for a floor area bonus of up to 20%. Accessibility improvements attained through the bonus mechanism are achieved at no cost to the MTA and will be in addition to projects funded through the MTA’s Capital Plan. Each bonus application will still require a public review and approval process.

 

These provisions will help free up funds for the MTA to make more stations accessible on a faster timeline and provide more accessible routes for its customers. Today, only about 30% of the 493 subway and Staten Island Railway (SIR) stations in New York City are fully ADA-accessible.

 

To learn more about Zoning for Accessibility, visit https://new.mta.info/elevatetransit.

 

Napoleon Grier Extradited From The Netherlands On Fraud Charges

 

Grier and His Co-Conspirators Allegedly Defrauded Victims of $2.275 Million as Part of an Advance Fee Scheme

 Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and Michael J. Driscoll, the Assistant Director-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), announced today the extradition of NAPOLEON GRIER from the Netherlands on alleged wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges.  GRIER was taken into custody by Dutch authorities in Amsterdam on August 13, 2019.  After contested extradition proceedings, GRIER arrived in the United States yesterday.  He will be presented today before United States Magistrate Katharine H. Parker.  The case is assigned to United States District Judge Richard M. Berman.

U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said: “As alleged, Napoleon Grier was part of a criminal conspiracy that bilked victims out of more than $2 million in advance fees for promised project financing that was never delivered.  Now, Grier is in U.S. custody and facing federal felony charges.”

FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said: “Advance-fee schemes are based on false pretenses that criminals use to ensnare victims and trap them in their fraudulent plot. When victims pay these fees, they assume their alleged investor will put up the money promised to fund their venture, but that never happens. While Grier’s victims expected a loan they never received, he and his co-conspirators likely didn’t anticipate the FBI would deliver on its promise to hold con artists accountable.”

According to the allegations in the Complaint and the Indictment[1]:

From at least in or about April 2012, up to and including at least in or about August 2012, GRIER and others devised and participated in a scheme that defrauded victims of at least $2.275 million (the “Advance Fee Scheme”).  GRIER and his co-conspirators – operating out of offices near Wall Street in New York, New York – held themselves out to victims as experienced financiers and promised that they could obtain financing for victims’ intended projects.  GRIER and his co-conspirators promised victims that after the victims wired initial deposits into escrow accounts controlled by the co-conspirators, the victims would later receive the full amount of their promised financing, often in a few months’ time.  GRIER and his co-conspirators never provided any of the financing they promised to victims and they never returned any of the more than $2.275 million in advance fees they defrauded the victims into depositing into escrow accounts.

The Advance Fee Scheme included at least four sets of victims.  GRIER and his co-conspirators defrauded (1) a New Jersey-based woman, who was promised $2.5 million in financing to purchase, remodel, and reopen a concert hall in New Jersey, of a $225,000 advance fee; (2) two Pennsylvania-based men, who were promised $20 million in financing to start a fuel additive company in Ecuador, of a $150,000 to advance fee; (3) a Canadian filmmaker and a California-based filmmaker, who were promised $3 million of financing to make a movie, of a more than $900,000 advance fee; and (4) two Illinois-based men, who were promised up to $10 million in financing for the purchase of a Canadian wind turbine company, of a $1 million advance fee.

GRIER, 56, is charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of wire fraud conspiracy, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  

The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.

Ms. Strauss praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI.  She also thanked the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs of the Department’s Criminal Division and the Netherlands’ Ministry of Justice and Security for their assistance.

[1] As the introductory phase signifies, the entirety of the texts of the Indictment and the Complaint, and the description of the Indictment and Complaint set forth below, constitute only allegations, and every fact described should be treated as an allegation.

Governor Hochul Announces $125 Million for Landlord Rent Relief in New York State

State Funding to Assist Landlords Whose Tenants Declined to Participate in New York's Emergency Rental Assistance Program or Have Vacated with Arrears  

Landlords Can Now Apply for Funding Using State's Rental Assistance Portal  

$804 Million In Assistance, More Than 63,000 Approved Payments to Landlords  

 Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that $125 million in state funding is now available to help landlords that couldn't participate in the New York State Emergency Rental Assistance Program due to a federal requirement for tenants to participate in the application process. Administered by the State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance and accepting applications starting Thursday, Oct. 7, the Landlord Rental Assistance Program provides up to 12 months of past-due rent to landlords who are ineligible for the federally funded program because their tenants either declined to complete an application or vacated the residence with arrears. Priority will be given to those landlords owning small-to-medium-sized properties. 

"Getting pandemic relief money out the door to New Yorkers has been a top priority for my administration since day one," Governor Hochul said. "I am proud that our state's rental assistance program has already provided much needed relief to tens of thousands of New Yorkers, but there are still many small landlords ineligible for that relief because of federal rules who also need our help. This funding is a critical tool to close that gap and help more New Yorkers recover from the pandemic."

Last month, Governor Hochul signed into law a moratorium on residential evictions through Jan. 15, 2022. The law set aside $125 million to help landlords with tenants who decline to participate or have vacated the residence with arrears.  

In addition, Governor Hochul last month sent a letter to the U.S. Treasury Department requesting additional funding for New York's Emergency Rental Assistance Program due to its shrinking balance and a continuing need for assistance throughout the state. 

So far, the program has approved more than 63,000 direct payments to landlords, totaling $804 million in assistance. New York State has now obligated or paid $1.8 billion in rental assistance, ranking the state first nationally in obligated funding and among the leaders in direct payments, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which tracks the state-by-state implementation of ERAP. New York State's ERAP provides approved tenants with eviction protection even if a landlord does not provide the information necessary to issue a payment or declines the awarded arrears. 

BRONX MAN INDICTED FOR ATTEMPTED MURDER OF POLICE OFFICER IN SHOOTING INVOLVING TWO OFF-DUTY COPS

 

 Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that a Bronx man has been indicted for Attempted Murder in the first degree and additional charges for shooting at an offduty NYPD Officer during an incident last month. 

 District Attorney Clark said, “Two off-duty officers happened upon an altercation involving the defendant, Rafael Rosado, his son, Michael Rosado, and others. Rafael Rosado then fired multiple times at one of the police officers. Thankfully, the officers were not injured. Unfortunately, this chain of events led to the fatal shooting of Michael Rosado by police. His death is being investigated by the New York State Attorney General’s Office.” 

 District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Rafael Rosado, 44, of 1728 Garfield Street, was arraigned today on Attempted Murder in the first degree and second degree, Attempted Assault in the first degree, first-degree Criminal Use of a Firearm, second-degree Criminal Possession of a Weapon, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Menacing a Police Officer and second-degree Reckless Endangerment before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. Remand was continued and the defendant is due back in court on January 7, 2022.

 According to the investigation, on August 29, 2021, at approximately 4:13 a.m., an altercation involving the defendant, Rafael Rosado, his son, Michael Rosado, and others took place in the vicinity of 180th Street and Valentine Avenue and shots were fired. Two off-duty police officers were nearby and responded to the location. During the incident, it is alleged that the defendant fired multiple times at one of the police officers.

 District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Force Investigations Division Detective Evan Johnson, Sergeant Richard Fiumano, Captain Derick Bentley, Detective Anthony Gavin, and NYPD Detective Reginald Smith and Police Officer Philip Iacovino of the Crime Scene Squad. 

 An indictment is an accusatory instrument and not proof of a defendant’s guilt.

SWEEPING UPDATES TO NYC CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING REGULATIONS

 

Bill Passed by City Council to Update Construction Codes Keeps NYC at The Forefront of Building Safety and Innovation

 The New York City Department of Buildings today marked the official passage of major legislation in the City Council to update the city’s Construction Codes. This comprehensive revision to the Codes contains over 600 major updates, and thousands of smaller changes, intended to improve safety for our fellow New Yorkers, and incorporate the latest in building technologies. The new Codes use the highest international standards for the design, construction and maintenance of buildings as a baseline, while continuing our city’s proud tradition of implementing additional enhancements to ensure we have among the strongest building regulations anywhere in the world. 

 

“These updated Codes provide a solid foundation on which the future of our city will be built,” said Buildings Commissioner Melanie E. La Rocca. “I want to thank my colleagues at DOB, along with the hundreds of government and industry experts that volunteered their time on our Code Revision Committees, who worked tirelessly to advance these Codes. Those efforts will make our built environment safer for everyone living, working and visiting in our great city. Looking further afield, it is my hope that these Codes will also serve as a model for other cities, looking to build their own more resilient and sustainable future.”

 

New York City’s Building Code is one of the nation’s earliest and most comprehensive set of rules regarding construction in both new and existing buildings. Updated regularly, our Codes set a strong framework for how buildings are designed and maintained in our unique urban environment. The code revisions approved today are the first holistic update to the entire set of NYC Administrative, Plumbing, Building, Mechanical and Fuel Gas Codes since 2014. The revisions were drafted by technical committees comprised of engineers, architects, attorneys, planners, tradespeople, representatives of the construction industry, labor, real estate industry, utility companies, as well as DOB and interagency stakeholders. Regulations in our Codes here in New York City frequently inform model codes on the national and international levels.

 

Revision highlights included in the updated Codes:

 

Emergency Response Enhancements

• Increases the minimum required dimensions of the elevator emergency hatch.
• Permits the use of batteries as the required secondary power source for the FDNY endorsed Auxiliary Radio Communication System (ARCS).
• Expands number of high-rise residential buildings that require emergency voice communication systems.

 

Fire Protection Enhancements

• Mandates that whenever exits discharge directly outside and not through a protected area or vestibule, that FDNY access be provided to the exit stairway either from the protected area or within a minimum distance of it.

 

Vertical Transportation and Accessibility Enhancements

• Establishes clear compliance criteria for elevator systems to ensure greater accessibility and usability for building occupants with physical and intellectual/developmental disabilities.
• Requires door locking monitoring in all Limited Use/Limited Application lifts (LULA) in order to minimize the risk of people and objects becoming caught.

 

Elevator and Boiler Safety Enhancements

• Requires the same elevator-in-readiness to serve all floors to reduce building evacuation times in the event of an emergency.
• Amends inspection timeframes for elevators and boilers to bring them back into service faster.

 

Protecting Tenants, Streamlining Building Occupancy and Promoting Increased Affordable Housing

• Requires new special inspection of buildings undergoing construction to ensure the protection of tenants.
• Clarifies what construction documentation is required to receive a new Certificate of Occupancy (CO).
• Reduces the required 8ft basement clearance height for two-family homes to 7ft to increase affordable housing opportunities.

 

Construction Safety Enhancements

• Permits the use of netting, low barriers, and chain link fencing in lieu of requiring only solid fencing that creates blind tunnels for pedestrians.
• Creates a new license type for advanced crane technology, such as articulating boom cranes and roto-telehandlers, to ensure these cranes are operated in a safe manner.
• Improves the safety and consistency of the underpinning of existing buildings.

 

Building System Construction and Inspection Enhancements

• Requires smoke tests for special gas vents to ensure the safety of building occupants.
• Requires all pipes, tubings, and fittings in the mechanical system to comply with the applicable reference safety standard.
• Codifies maintenance, condition assessment, and reporting requirements for parking structures.

 

Sustainability and Resiliency Enhancements

• Expands the applicability of flood zone requirements of the 100-year flood hazard area to all critical facilities (including fire, rescue, ambulance, police stations, and designated emergency shelters) located in the 500-year flood zone.
• Mandates annual visual inspections of dry floodproofing systems and triennial full-scale deployment of dry floodproofing in the presence of a special inspection agency.
• Permits and supports the use of alternative energy production processes, including hydrogen fuel cells.
• Increases the material choices available to builders by expanding the use of sustainable building materials such as cross-laminated timber and structural composite lumber.

 

Code requirements set forth in this updated revision will go into effect next year, with some regulations taking effect on January 1, 2022. To support the implementation of the code updates, DOB will be conducting training and outreach regarding the new requirements.

 

“The updated codes approved by the City Council are a product of outstanding work by FDNY members in our Bureau of Fire Prevention and their colleagues at the Department of Buildings,” said Fire Commissioner Daniel A. Nigro. “Thanks to their collaboration and expertise, we will see greater improvements to the city’s fire protection, emergency response, and construction regulations, helping to ensure the safety of all New Yorkers and our members who respond to thousands of emergencies each day.”

 

“New York City has a proud tradition of enforcing the nation’s most rigorous building and housing codes that are a large part of why we are one of the nation’s safest big cities,” said HPD Commissioner Louise Carroll. “The advances put in place today will enhance protections for tenants and workers for generations to come, as well as, create a more resilient and sustainable future. I want to thank DOB for its leadership, HPD’s development and enforcement teams, along with our industry partners for laying the foundation for the city to tackle the next generation of challenges.”

 

“We applaud the passage of these important updates to the City’s Construction Code, led by our colleagues at the Department of Buildings with input from a diverse set of experts from industry, academia and government,” said DEP Commissioner Vincent Sapienza.  “Important updates to the Plumbing Code, Green Infrastructure protections and construction protocols are amongst the revisions that will improve safety and the quality of life for all New Yorkers.”

 

“The code revisions spearheaded by the Department of Buildings will ensure that new construction projects can deal with 21^st-century infrastructure challenges,” said NYCHA Chair & CEO Greg Russ. “We are honored to have been a part of this process and look forward to seeing these new standards implemented citywide.”

 

“These are sensible proposals that will support the construction industry while protecting workers and the public,” said NYC Department of Design and Construction Commissioner Jamie Torres-Springer. “DDC professionals with vast experience in City construction helped guide many of these new regulations and as one of the many stakeholders who will benefit from safer conditions we applaud the Council’s actions today.”

 

“As the Chair of the Accessibility Technical Committee for the New York City Building Code, I am proud to have been part of the NYC Building Code updates,” said Victor Calise, Commissioner of the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities.  “I am confident that these updates, which address accessibility, will be the next step in making certain that the needs of people with disabilities will be further met as we all take steps in reaching our goal of making NYC the most accessible city in the world.  I want to thank the Committee members for their hard work, and look forward to continuing to work with DOB " 

 

“The School Construction Authority continues to be in lockstep with these Building Code revisions that improve standards to keep our workers and the general public safe,” said SCA President and CEO Nina Kubota. “We’re also adding vital sustainability and resiliency enhancements that will protect our schools, our kids, and school staff from extreme weather events while reducing our carbon footprint.”

 

“These Code revisions will further strengthen New York City’s buildings against flooding and worsening extreme weather,” said Jainey Bavishi, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Resiliency. “Increasing inspections for dry floodproofing measures is a common-sense step that will ensure these systems remain in a state of good repair. These revisions will also require an increased number of critical facilities to install and maintain flood protections. This will help keep them online and ready to serve the public when the next disaster strikes.”