Stiffer Penalties for Building Violations Sought
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
Contractors who violate the city’s building code by working without the required permits and licenses might be banned from obtaining future permits for five years, if new legislation to be introduced in the City Council is approved.
Contractors, construction union members, and the Department of Buildings Commissioner, Patricia Lancaster, support the anticipated legislation, and appeared yesterday at a City Hall press conference touting the potential safety regulations. The legislation, which has not yet been drafted, would also require the Buildings Department to issue an annual report card with the names of contractors and owners forced to stop work as a result of the new rules.
Construction industry officials said 29 people have been killed in construction-related accidents over the last year. They are concerned the city’s building boom is leading to unsafe working conditions on some sites, they said.
