An asbestos inspector, currently in prison for defrauding a well-known jazz musician out of $500,000, is accused of not actually visiting a site before he approved a contentious homeless shelter project in Brooklyn, pushed by the Mamdani administration.
Noel Muir stated he inspected a proposed 150-bed men’s shelter in Bensonhurst in April 2025, claiming it was free from asbestos, as city documents show. However, this claim has raised eyebrows, particularly since the project’s construction has faced over two-and-a-half years of delays and led to frequent protests, including the arrest of a local lawmaker.
In legal filings, 16 local residents and business leaders assert that Muir did not inspect the property, which is slated to open in late 2027. They emphasize that he supposedly conducted the inspection on April 4, 2025, yet did not see anyone entering or leaving the site during that time.
The city is probing whether Muir may have conducted this inspection while his license was suspended. Councilwoman Susan Tsang has expressed the community’s push for an investigation into the procedures involved with the asbestos testing at the location in Brooklyn.
Critics, including Tsang and others, have suggested that Muir misled city officials about the asbestos tests in order to expedite the project, putting community health at risk. Tsang has referred to Muir’s concerning past, which includes a guilty plea in 2016 for theft. His prison sentence was one to three years, after he defrauded famed jazz pianist Cecil Taylor.
Over the years, Muir, 66, from Long Island, has faced multiple fines for asbestos safety violations. Officials emphasized the importance of relying on trustworthy inspectors for proper testing.
In late March, Mayor Zoran Mamdani approved the construction as part of a broader effort to expand evacuation space across the city. However, after local residents raised concerns, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) inspected the site on April 9 and issued a stop-work order due to a lack of adequate asbestos testing.
The 86th Street Community Alliance, primarily composed of Asian American residents, has been vocal in their protests against the shelter, requesting a third-party asbestos inspection, which they are willing to fund. Muir, who has been a certified asbestos inspector since 1995, was unreachable for comments.
The DEP, citing precautionary measures, reported they found no asbestos during a recent inspection of the roof, although they did not detail the findings further. They assured that community safety is a priority and that if asbestos is found in areas set for development, remediation would be required.
Muir’s initial license suspension came in 2024 due to concerns over his record-keeping. Although reinstated, he faced further issues, with his latest suspension occurring on March 4 for conducting unauthorized inspections. A hearing is set for May 6, where his license could potentially be revoked, and the stop-work order will remain until a certified inspector reviews the site.
Furthermore, the project’s developer, Sandu Group, has agreed to hire a different company for asbestos testing, given Muir’s ongoing legal troubles.
