Today, New York City Comptroller Scott M. Stringer released an audit revealing the Department of Buildings (DOB) failed to adequately oversee complaint intake, inspection, and disposition processes for illegal curb cuts and driveways. The audit showed widespread deficiencies in DOB’s processing of complaints of illegal curb cuts and driveways, oversight and training of field inspectors, and inspections of curb cuts and driveways. The audit also found that based on a sample of 1,024 complaints made during the audit scope period, the City potentially failed to assess and collect as much as $430,014 in penalties due to DOB’s failure to adequately respond to 502 (49 percent) of those complaints. Based on a review of the total population of complaints received by DOB in the audit scope period, the audit showed that the City may have foregone as much as an additional $32,604 due to additional errors by DOB in its handling of re-inspections and filing of violations with the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings’ (OATH’S) Environmental Control Board.
“New York City’s streets and sidewalks are among our greatest public resources,” said Comptroller Stringer. “Illegal curb cuts and driveways negatively impact safety and quality of life for pedestrians and drivers alike and take away much needed sidewalk space when our city most needs it. Our audit identified significant weaknesses in the Department of Buildings enforcement of the rules that apply to curb cuts and driveways, which also cost the city tens of thousands of dollars. I urge DOB to implement our recommendations immediately and ensure that our streetscapes can serve as the public amenities they are intended to be.”
For the audit scope period, Comptroller Stringer obtained from DOB a complaint listing with 7,256 entries, of which 5,783 were individual complaints associated with 3,874 properties of potentially illegal curb cuts, driveways, and carports according to DOB’s internal reporting. For the 5,783 individual complaints received during the audit scope, DOB performed 3,238 inspections for 3,020 properties. Of these 3,238 inspections, DOB issued 1,435 OATH violations related to 1,203 properties.
Comptroller Stringer’s audit found that with respect to curb cuts and driveways, DOB did not adequately oversee its processes for responding to complaints and for issuing permits for their installation as well as deficiencies in all aspects of DOB’s complaint intake, inspection, and disposition processes. DOB lacked training for its field inspectors regarding curb cuts and driveways and did not provide sufficient supervisory oversight of their inspections. Additionally, DOB lacked controls over the issuance of violations for illegal curb cuts and driveways and DOB field inspectors did not appropriately refer all complaints that fall under other agencies’ jurisdictions to those agencies.
6 comments:
No, they’re just doing what NYPD are doing. Absolutely nothing.
It seems Stringer main concern is the amount of money they did not collect for the penalties that were racked up by people's illegal driveways and curb cuts.
I find it strange that people are still allow to keep their properties even though they have high amounts of fines and penalties against them.
I have relatives who have received notices from the City Agencies saying if they do not fix their sidewalks in 45 days, the city will fix it for them and charge them on their property taxes.
If not paid, a lien will be taken against your property.
Funny, how the same rule does not applied to the people who racked up penalties for their illegal driveways and curb cuts.
My Great Aunt of 99 years old (functioning with all of her strenth, wisdom and faculties) lives in a large North Richmond Hill Victorian estate that resides two doors down from an illegally converted flophouse (a blight on her otherwise pristine block of manicured homes and high level curb appeal), and they park eight large cars and SUV's almost nightly onto double lanes in the street that partially block traffic around the clock. I can't tell you how many times the police were called not only by my relative, but by others on the block whose quality of life have been irreparably effected.
So, has there been any action taken by the 108th Precinct? The cops appear to be just as frightened as the complaining neighbors of this blighted property, many of whom were the victims of random tire slashings, broken car windows and other forms of vandalism.
All of QUEENS County is one heaping pile of dangerously failed leadership that now leaves a terrified populace to their own devices. Street thugs, lawlessness and vigilantism is back with a vengeance - and, far worse than anything that had previously eroded quality of life in this town during the 1970s. My Aunt stares in disbelief at how powerless the purported symbols of law enforcement behave like, as they have repeatedly failed to answer any calls for urgent help and action. My family is relocating her next month; she fears for her life and safety.
I would think twice before berating the cops. We have some great people in my local pct. who are caring, decent, and try their best. Some are Queens residents in adjacent pcts. They truly resent that Albany has cut them off at the knees.
Unfortunately my pct. sends much of the night shift to the Bronx to quell all the stuff that the news media isn't even reporting. Pct. was stripped for holiday weekend as well. No overtime for police, which is usually high in the Bronx when the streets get bad. So, scoop up the officers in Queens and across the bridge they go. Small homeowners paying the taxes here...who cares...you only live here...
Crime is rising everywhere. Rate of accidents is rising everywhere. And when things get really wild, you might even have to wait for an ambulance call from Nassau County in certain parts of Queens. Several neighbors are talking to RE agents...not surprised.
Technically that SUV is legal, he is fully on his property and not touching the sidewalk, and not blocking anyone driveway....but since he doesn't have a curb cut the yellow paint is illegal and if he gets blocked in, he cant have the car towed.
Hey Rikki, TECHNICALLY, the SUV is parked ILLEGAL. Damn, you are stupid, now city rules first before you state misinformation.
DOB in its current state is one big joke. It should be defunded and revamped.
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