The city’s Department of Buildings is cutting its staff by a quarter starting in 2022, with many of those positions being filled by inspectors who are supposed to identify problems in structures before they potentially collapse. Ta.
The troubling revelation surfaced Tuesday during a meeting of the City Council’s Housing and Buildings Committee. Commission Chair Pierina Ana Sánchez said data shows the DOB is slowing down in identifying problem buildings because there are fewer inspectors.
“We are seeing the impact,” she said.
In the first four months of this year, DOB issued 2,225 stop-work orders, a 36% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.
“The average wait time for construction inspections increased to three days, while the average wait time for plumbing inspections increased to 2.6 days and the average wait time for electrical inspections also increased to 4.0 days,” she said.
A construction company owner was found guilty of manslaughter after a defective wall collapsed in the city, crushing 5-year-old Alison Pinto Shomana to death on the morning of the hearing.
DOB Secretary Jimmy Oddo said the department was unable to fill all open inspector positions, in part because the department struggles to compete with private sector salaries.
But he noted that the DOB has 525 inspectors and only needs 540 to be considered fully staffed.
“Historically speaking. We continue to do a great job,” Oddo testified. “Last year we carried out 370,000 notified tests, more than any other time.”
He said the DOB does not need to hire more inspectors. Instead, the department needs to make better use of existing inspectors, Oddo said, adding that a new bill (currently undergoing an approval process) that uses predictive analytics to identify problem buildings before they collapse (in progress).
Still, councilors were appalled by staffing decisions in the wake of recent tragedies.
In December, a Bronx apartment building was partially destroyed, forcing dozens of residents to evacuate.
In April 2023, a parking garage at 57 Ann Street in the Financial District collapsed, killing one man and injuring five others.
Council members also criticized DOB’s staffing decisions as the city moves forward with a new rezoning plan called “City of Yes” that is expected to lead to construction benefits.
“Without increasing the number of inspectors, we will not be able to keep up with the pace of development we are anticipating in this city. should have been replaced with more organizations,” said City Councilman Lincoln Ressler.
The Brooklyn Paul reported that a voter called the office that morning because he was walking his baby in a stroller in Greenpoint when scaffolding from a building fell on him.
“Luckily she’s okay, her shoulder is broken, but the baby is okay. But we need DOB to keep us safe with all the developments that are happening in our community,” said Ressler. said.
The DOB is still investigating the cause of the parking garage collapse and partial collapse of a Bronx apartment building.
