REMARKS
Council Member Sanchez introduces the Department of Buildings and discusses its budget and staffing
2:20:57
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168 sec
Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez opens the hearing on the Department of Buildings' (DOB) fiscal 2025 preliminary budget. She provides an overview of DOB's role in regulating construction and real estate in New York City, including its responsibilities for enforcing construction codes and safety regulations.
- DOB's fiscal 2025 expense budget is $178.7 million, with a revenue budget of $340.3 million
- The preliminary budget includes significant headcount reductions, with 577 positions removed since fiscal 2022 (26% of total headcount)
- DOB's vacancy rate has decreased from 22.7% to 5.7%, primarily due to headcount reductions rather than new hiring
Pierina Ana Sanchez
2:20:57
Good afternoon, and welcome back to today's hearing of the committee on housing and buildings on the fiscal 2025 preliminary budget and the fiscal 2024 preliminary May management report.
2:21:08
I'd like to acknowledge that we have the same council members as we did before.
2:21:13
Council members' rest are Avilis and Brewer.
2:21:16
Thank you for being here.
2:21:17
We will now hear from the Department of Buildings followed followed by the public at about 4:30 PM.
2:21:24
The Department of Buildings serves as the primary regulator of the construction and real estate industries in the city of New York.
2:21:31
DLB enforces the city's construction codes, zoning resolutions, and the New York State Multiple dwelling law to protect workers and the public, including across the city's nearly 1,100,000 buildings and over 43,900,000 active construction sites.
2:21:48
Through its review and of of the excuse me, through its review and approval of building plans, permitting, and licensing functions and inspections.
2:21:57
As such, DOB's staffing actions and budget are a reflection of our city's commitment to safety in our buildings.
2:22:05
DLB's fiscal 2025 expense budget totals 1 $178,700,000 and its revenue budget is $340,300,000.
2:22:14
The expense budget 40,600,000 lower than at fiscal 2024 budget adoption.
2:22:21
The major action in DOB's preliminary budget is a cut or a peg to its available budgeted headcount.
2:22:28
The move saves DOB $10,800,000 this year, $9,400,000 next year and $9,300,000 in the out years.
2:22:37
A total of 134 positions are removed in fiscal 2024, and 90 positions are removed in the baseline from fiscal 2025.
2:22:47
Remarkably, fiscal 2025 in by fiscal 2025, DLB will have removed 577 positions since fiscal 2022, which is an equivalent of 26% of your headcount.
2:23:03
In October 2022, DOB had the highest vacancy rate of any medium to large city agency at 22.7%.
2:23:12
Today, the vacancy rate is much lower at 5 point 7%, but it's driven not by hiring, but by headcount reductions.
2:23:22
DOB has an essential role as the cities at as the city agency responsible for enforcing New York City's construction codes, zoning resolutions, multiple dwelling law.
2:23:31
Additionally, It plans and will enforce heightened energy standards due to to local law 97.
2:23:37
You work to improve construction site safety and training clients and implement the department self-service online portal DOB now.