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AGENCY TESTIMONY
Proactive inspection program (Local Law 79 of 2024)
2:58:54
ยท
153 sec
Commissioner Oddo details the establishment of a proactive inspection program as mandated by Local Law 79 of 2024. He explains the progress made in implementing this program and its potential impact on building and construction safety.
- Received 60 additional positions to staff the program, including inspectors, plan examiners, data analysts, and attorneys
- Filled 25 positions with an additional 16 in the hiring pipeline
- Program aims to identify and hold bad actors accountable, focus on sensitive buildings, and perform reinspections of hazardous conditions
- Commissioner emphasizes the program's potential to prevent future building incidents
- Expresses gratitude to Chair Sanchez for her support and collaboration in creating this program
James "Jimmy" S. Oddo
2:58:54
First, of course, is establishing a proactive inspection program.
2:58:58
Last year, the city council passed your your legislation chair, local law 79 of 2024, which we were extremely supportive of, which tasked the department with establishing proactive a proactive enforcement program.
2:59:15
Following the passage of the law, the department received an additional 60 positions which includes inspectors, plan examiners, data analysts and attorneys to stand up the program.
2:59:26
To date, the department has primarily focused on hiring and filled 25 positions with an additional 16 positions in the hiring pipeline.
2:59:35
With these additional resources, the department will use its data to identify and hold bad actors accountable, identify sensitive buildings that may be impacted by neighborhood by neighboring construction to get ahead of incidents and perform reinspections of immediately hazardous violating conditions until such conditions are corrected.
2:59:56
We look forward to keeping the committee updated on this important work in the coming months as we work to implement this important program which will fundamentally change how the department approaches building and construction safety.
3:00:09
If I can, Madam Chair, just ad lib a minute and and vary from my prepared remarks and that is to publicly thank you again.
3:00:19
As you know, I was a member of this body for almost fifteen years and I was a damn good council member.
3:00:25
And I've been around damn good council members.
3:00:28
I have seen members on both sides of the aisle in this body on every level of government have an incident in their district, show up to the initial or maybe the first week's worth of press conferences and then give it drive by attention.
3:00:43
The owner of that building at 1915, Billingsley, didn't show up for three days.
3:00:47
You were there that night and you were there the rest of the way.
3:00:50
And when we came to you with a concept, you listened, you collaborated, and you codified this program.
3:00:56
And I'm telling you, madam chair, there will be another building in your district or building in someone else's district that won't endure the fate of 1915 Billingsley because of this program.
3:01:08
We are immensely proud and you're gonna hear from deputy commissioner Chamash, even though we haven't staffed up fully, we're already out in the field with the staff that we have doing these inspections.
3:01:22
And it's a legacy item for you and you should be extremely proud on this side of the day as we are.