QUESTION
What inspections occur after a fire and which city agencies are involved?
1:14:23
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169 sec
Deputy Commissioner AnnMarie Santiago explains the process of inspections conducted by the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) after a fire and how they coordinate with other agencies.
- HPD inspectors assess the damage to determine if a vacate order is required, focusing on non-structural issues such as electricity loss or significant water damage.
- Structural damage assessments are handled by the Department of Buildings.
- Once a vacate order is issued by HPD, it is publicly posted and shared with the American Red Cross and emergency housing services to facilitate tenant support.
- HPD monitors repair work and coordinates with other agencies, such as the Department of Environment Protection, in the aftermath of a fire to determine necessary work, permits, and monitoring.
- Decisions about rescinding vacate orders depend on the scope of damage and the restoration of services or the resolution of specific issues like damaged front doors.
Alexa Avilés
1:14:23
So after a fire, what types of inspections occur and by which city agencies are they conducted?
1:14:31
Just obviously Mhmm.
1:14:33
I heard you situations are really unique.
1:14:36
But if you could give us a general walking through, that would be helpful.
AnnMarie Santiago
1:14:40
So I can speak for HPD My colleague can speak for DOB, and there are other agencies
Alexa Avilés
1:14:46
Yep.
AnnMarie Santiago
1:14:46
Department of Environment Protection may be involved.
1:14:49
Others so I I'm only gonna speak for HPV.
1:14:52
So at a fire, a fire of magnitude where HPD responds, as you heard, the chief, there's thousands of fires all over the city, all the time.
1:15:02
But to those that HPD responds.
1:15:05
When our inspector gets the building, usually if it's a larger fire or management is on scene and is coordinating access to the building, the fire department determines and the buildings department determine when we can access the building to do our inspection.
1:15:22
So an HPD inspector will assess what the damage is, whether a vacate order, is required based on that damage.
1:15:30
So generally, HPD vacate orders would cover things like no electricity to the building.
1:15:36
Or significant water damage to apartments.
1:15:41
Our vacates do not cover structural issues, which would be covered by the Department of Buildings.
1:15:48
Once the vacate order is issued, it is approved posted at the building.
1:15:54
It is posted online.
1:15:56
Information is shared with the American Red Cross and with our emergency housing services.
1:16:02
To enable tenants to receive the services, whether it's rehousing or whether it is, just other types of support, as you mentioned.
1:16:13
In a larger fire, HPD will monitor the work that's happening at the building again in coordination with other agencies.
1:16:23
There may be interagency meetings in the days immediately following.
1:16:27
I'm sure Several council members have participated in those types of of meetings, determinations are made about what work can forward.
1:16:38
What work may require appropriate permits.
1:16:40
Or, again, if the EP is involved, what type of monitoring is necessary, And depending on the scope of the damage, decisions may be made about resending vacates from apartments that maybe had no damage, and we're just waiting for a restoration of service or were vacated because of damage to the front doors of the apartments and those are quickly resolved, but some again take more time depending on the damage.