Mayor Appoints Jimmy Oddo as DOB Commissioner; Molly Wasow Park as DSS Commissioner

April 28, 2023

On April 27, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced his appointments for Commissioners for the Department of Buildings and Department of Social Services. Jimmy Oddo will be the new commissioner of the Department of Buildings, and Molly Wasow Park will be the new commissioner for the Department of Social Services, after serving as Acting Commissioner since March 2023.

Jimmy Oddo – Department of Buildings Commissioner

Jimmy Oddo received a bachelor’s degree in history from Fordham University … <Read More>

Council Adopts Law to Extend Waivers of Accessory Sign Violations

April 25, 2023

On March 19, 2023 the New York City Council adopted Local Law 43 (2023). The measure was originally introduced as Introduction 886 by Council Member Keith Powers in January 2023. The law extends a freeze on issuing penalties to property owners who are in violation of certain rules that govern accessory signage through January 1, 2025. A previous freeze was already put into place via Local Law 28 (2019) which started June of 2019.

Council Hears Bill to Add Electric Vehicle Charging Stations in Open Garages and Lots

April 7, 2023

On January 24, 2023, the New York City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings held a public hearing on Introduction 150-2022. The bill, sponsored by Council Member Justin Brannan from Brooklyn, creates requirements for electric vehicle charging stations in open lots and garages.

Mayor Reveals Task Force Recommendations to Convert Underused Office Space to Housing

January 26, 2023

On January 9, 2023, Mayor Eric Adams announced a set of recommendations from the Office Adaptive Reuse Task Force for changes to state laws and city zoning requirements to make it easier for the conversion of underused office space to housing. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed how many companies operate, transitioning to work-from-home or hybrid structures that require less office space, while the city experiences an ongoing affordable housing crisis.

Mayor Announces “Get Stuff Built” Plan to Streamline Building and Land Use Processes

January 19, 2023

On December 8, 2022, Mayor Eric Adams unveiled New York City’s latest land use roadmap, Get Stuff Built, a complement to his City of Yes zoning proposals announced earlier this year. Get Stuff Built represents a collaborative effort among more than two dozen agencies serving on the Building and Land use Approval Streamlining Taskforce (BLAST), which held 18 working group sessions and four roundtable discussions with more than 50 external stakeholders. Designed to address … <Read More>

DOB Launches Winter Construction Safety Campaign

January 5, 2023

The campaign follows four tragic fatalities on construction sites between November and December 2022. On December 28, 2022, Department of Buildings Acting Commissioner Kazimir Vilenchik announced the launch of a new winter construction safety campaign. The safety campaign aims to highlight potential dangers for serious injuries and fatalities on work sites. The campaign follows a series of four tragic instances of worker fatalities on sites in November and December.