Legislation will streamline housing inspections by transferring enforcement of window guard requirements to Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
Council also votes to strengthen protections against illegal dumping in New York City’s waterfronts and on resolution to support the New York State Attorney General’s investigation into mortgage packaging practices.

New York, NY- The City Council will today vote on legislation that will make it easier for tenants to file and resolve housing violations relating to window guards. This bill will add window guard installation requirements to the Housing Maintenance Code, which are currently only in the Health Code, and streamline the housing inspection process by consolidating inspections within the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

The Council will also vote on a bill that will increase transparency and strengthen enforcement against illegal dumping in New York City’s waterfronts. The legislation will require City agencies to work collaboratively to prevent illegal dumping in and along City waters and would require agencies to submit a biennial report detailing their progress.

Finally, the Council will vote on a resolution in that calls on State Attorney Generals’ across the United States to preserve New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman’s power to investigate and prosecute mortgage practices and to re-instate him to the executive committee of state officials mortgage panel.

INCREASE EFFICIENCY AND ENFORCEMENT OF HOUSING VIOLATIONS

The City Council will today vote on legislation that will make it easier for tenants to file and resolve housing violations relating to window guards. This bill will add window guard installation requirements to the Housing Maintenance Code, which are currently only in the Health Code, and streamline the housing inspection process by consolidating inspections within the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.

Property owners are required to install and maintain window guards on windows in public areas of apartment buildings, apartments in multiple dwelling units where children 10 and under live and in any unit where a tenant submits a written request for installation.

Under the legislation, HPD will have the authority to issue immediately hazardous Class C violations to property owners who fail to meet window guard requirements. The Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will retain authority to investigate falls from windows and issue violations as appropriate.

Property owners who do not comply with the window guard requirements will have 21 days from issuance of a notice of violation to correct conditions. After 21 days, owners may be liable for civil penalties ranging from $50 per day in residences with five or fewer units and up to $150 per day in buildings with more than five units.

“Our legislation is a prime of example of doing more with less,” said Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “By giving HPD the authority to enforce the laws regulating window guards, the agency will be able to deploy its inspectors during the slower summer months—when windows are open—to ensure that window guards are properly installed.”

“Int. No. 561-A will make the city’s current window guards law even more effective,” said Council Member Erik Martin Dilan, Chair of the Council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings. “Streamlining the way the City handles window guard complaints by giving HPD sole authority to enforce compliance and issue violations, when necessary, makes a lot of sense. We can utilize HPD’s resources and inspectors to ensure that landlords are in compliance with the law so that our children are safe and secure in their homes. I would like to thank Speaker Quinn, Council Staff and the Administration for working on this bill and ensuring that it was passed in a timely manner.”
PROTECT NEW YORK CITY WATERFRONTS FROM ILLEGAL DUMPING
The Council will also vote on legislation that will increase transparency and strengthen enforcement against illegal dumping in New York City’s waterfronts.

The bill will require the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Sanitation, and Department of Small Business Services – the primary agencies involved in combating waterfront dumping – to coordinate their enforcement efforts through a formal plan and to issue a biennial report detailing the implementation of the coordinated plan.

The report must also outline how many public complaints were received, how many tickets were issued and how much money was recovered through illegal dumping penalties.

The public will also be given an opportunity to comment on the draft plan before it is finalized.

Interested members of the public, such as non-profit organizations that aim to protect rivers and report illegal dumping incidents, will also be given an opportunity to comment on the coordinated plan and its implementation.

This bill is a way of achieving the goals laid out in the Vision 2020: New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan, a 10-year vision for the future of the city’s 520 miles of shoreline.

“While the quality of our waters and waterfronts has made dramatic improvements over the last thirty years, illegal dumping remains a problem,” said Council Chair of the Waterfront Committee Michael Nelson. “With the passage of this legislation, we will finally put together a comprehensive plan that will allow the city to combat illegal waterfront dumping and continue our goal of improving New Yorkers’ access to the waterfront.”

SUPPORT THE NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL’S INVESTIGATION INTO MORTGAGE PACKAGING PRACTICES

The Council will also vote on a resolution that calls on the 50 State Attorney’s General Taskforce to not enter into settlement with major financial institutions that would preclude New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman from continuing his own investigation into the packaging of mortgages into securities.

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