Saturday, June 14, 2008

Group calls for DOB reform

Plenty of New Yorkers find themselves anxiously peering toward the sky in the wake of this spring’s two high profile, deadly crane collapses that killed nine people on the Upper East Side. Now, a coalition of community groups wants to focus attention on the everyday construction dangers that lurk in neighborhoods across the city, and the enhanced role residents can play to help put a stop to them.

The group, Citizens for Buildings (Department) Reform, gathered with elected officials on the steps of City Hall on Thursday afternoon to call for increased community input and consultation as key ways to incorporate more safety into a citywide building boom that has already left 15 construction workers and bystanders dead in 2008.


Community Groups Rally to 'Renovate DOB!' After Construction Accidents Kill 15

The group lists three top priorities:

1. Re-inspect hazardous Stop Work Order sites. The Department of Buildings fails to re-inspect construction sites after every hazardous violation, and fails to verify compliance. Some offenders simply pay a fine.

2. End Self-Certification (a.k.a. “Professional Certification”). The crane disasters represent a more serious lack of oversight of the construction industry. City Hall needs to stand for safety all around New York, not just at high-rise crane sites.

3. Work with the community. City Hall needs to harness the expertise of community groups.


Groups Call for End to Self-Certification, Other DOB Reforms

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is Vallone, Giannaris and Delis in this picture? Where's Helen Marshall? Are they all eating free plates of vegetarian eggplant mousaka on Broadway?

Anonymous said...

City hall has no desire to "harness the expertise of community groups".

Their plan is to crush them.

These groups interfere with their continuance of doing business as usual in the rotten apple.

The Dept. of City Plotting
is against any grassroots planning.

Anonymous said...

"The Dept. of City Plotting
is against any grassroots planning."


Absolutely.