Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 10 a.m. (New York City time), 250 Broadway - 8th Floor - Hearing Room 1
Committee: Committee on Housing and Buildings
The Committee on Housing and Buildings, chaired by Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez, held an oversight hearing on the administration's approach to construction safety, hearing testimony from the Department of Buildings Commissioner and senior staff. Discussion covered construction injury and fatality trends, implementation of Local Law 79 of 2024's proactive inspection program, the response to the partial collapse at the former Pfizer headquarters in Midtown, fraudulent site safety training cards sold by a company indicted by the Brooklyn District Attorney, staffing levels, sidewalk shed and scaffolding reform, and safety oversight at smaller construction sites. Council Members Rita C. Joseph and Carl Wilson raised district-specific enforcement issues. The hearing concluded with public testimony from four speakers, and the committee made no formal votes.
0:08 Kind. Cooperation
0:08 . Good morning and welcome to
0:10 New York City Council hearing
0:12 on committee and houses and
0:14 buildings at this hour with
0:15 accident, everyone to sign oil
0:17 electronic devices
0:18 . And at no point in time this
0:20 year and launched upward is.
0:22 If you wish to testify today
0:24 hearing and.
0:25 Have food up their parent's
0:26 heart. Please do so there's
0:27 such an added back chair. You
0:30 begin. Thank you, sergeant,
0:31 and good morning. I am council
0:33 member beating a Sanchez share
0:34 of the committee on housing
0:36 and buildings on behalf of the
0:37 the public and the
0:41 administration who have joine
0:42 dus this morning,
0:45 uh, before I begin. I just
0:46 want to acknowledge that we
0:47 are joined by council members
0:48 Maloney and Riley
0:51 . New York City is home to
0:52 more than 1 million buildings
0:54 and 40000 active construction
0:56 sites at any moment, the chief
0:58 agency overseeing this work in
0:59 the city's construction
1:01 industry is the department of
1:02 buildings. The department of
1:04 buildings plays a critical
1:05 role in enforcing the rules
1:06 and regulations that keep the
1:08 tenants small businesses and
1:09 workers across those 1 million
1:13 buildings. Safe.
1:14 When a New building is
1:14 constructed or an existing
1:15 building undergoes renovation
1:16 work, the public should have
1:18 confidence that this work is
1:19 being conducted with the
1:21 utmost integrity and that the
1:23 working conditions on
1:24 construction sites are safe
1:24 for every person involved.
1:28 Importantly, we have some of
1:29 the most rigorous construction
1:30 safety standards in the world
1:31 and they are up to date the
1:33 construction codes. We have an
1:35 effect are just from 20 22,
1:39 but our standards only protect
1:39 the public when the
1:42 enforcement agency is staffed
1:43 resource and able to ensure
1:45 that developers, contractors
1:46 and professionals are
1:47 following the rules, so today
1:49 we'll take a closer look at
1:51 jobs ongoing efforts to
1:54 advance consuctitron safety
1:54 we've seen recent encouraging
1:56 trends in the data in fiscal
1:57 year 20 26, the mayor's
2:00 management reports noted a 45%
2:02 decrease in serious or fatal
2:05 construction injuries, which
2:06 is down from 557 2 308 o
2:11 fthose serious injuries, falls
2:13 remained the leading cause
2:14 over the past two years. And
2:16 while the overall decline
2:18 signifies.
2:18 Can signify real progress
2:20 ,more can be done to identify
2:22 at the persistent causes of
2:23 both serious injuries and
2:24 deaths on construction sites
2:28 . Deaths, which consistently
2:29 hope hover around eight per
2:32 year
2:33 . And I have to add that while
2:35 these numbers seem positives
2:37 positive. The trends are also
2:39 up and down since 20 22
2:41 .during my tenure as housing
2:43 chair and my usual optimism
2:45 has a little
2:46 . Pause in the same way that
2:47 New York City seeks to prevent
2:49 all traffic fatalities through
2:50 the vision zero initiative we
2:52 should use a similar data
2:53 driven approach to eliminate
2:54 construction related deaths
2:58 entirely recent high profile
2:58 incidents also highlight the
3:00 need for continued evaluionat
3:01 of our city's construction
3:03 safety standards, the buckling
3:04 of to load bearing columns in
3:05 the 21 floor of the former
3:07 pfizer headquarters in midtown
3:09 raise significant concerns
3:11 about whether corners were cut
3:14 which unsafe conditions were
3:15 first identified what scope of
3:16 work was approved. How the
3:17 City can ensure this never
3:19 happens again. I'm thankful
3:22 for swift response to ensure
3:23 the safety of all of the New
3:25 yorkers in the surrounding
3:27 area, but the incident was
3:28 serious enough to prompt a
3:31 citywide enforcement blitz
3:32 from the department of the
3:33 results of which we will also
3:35 be wanting to discuss during
3:39 today's hearing on a related
3:39 note, we will also receive an
3:40 implementation update for
3:41 legislation that we champion
3:42 here in this committee local
3:44 law 79 and 20 24, which
3:47 created a New requirement for
3:49 proactive enforcement at
3:49 department of buildings
3:52 . Additionally, a recent
3:53 indictment from the brooklyn
3:54 district attorney's office
3:56 raises concerns about the
3:57 oversight of safety site
4:00 safety training credentials
4:01 last month, the brooklyn d. A.
4:02 Charged to individuals and the
4:05 related a company red coat ink
4:06 for creating and selling
4:08 fraudulent site safety cards
4:09 to construction workers,
4:11 although the company was
4:12 authorized to provide site
4:13 safety trainings. The da
4:17 alleged that they they sold
4:17 cards to construction workers
4:18 who never completed that
4:20 training
4:20 . We must ensure that all
4:22 workers are appropriately
4:22 trained and continue to
4:23 improve the city's tools for
4:25 overseeing the companies that
4:29 fake safety credentials.
4:31 Fight us. Excuse me. Finally
4:33 , I would be remiss if I
4:34 didn't end with my continued
4:36 concerns around staffing
4:36 within the agency in my time
4:38 of of the committee on housing
4:40 buildings have repeatedly
4:42 raised concerns about staffing
4:44 under the prior administration
4:46 eliminated roughly a quarter
4:47 of its budgeted workforce,
4:50 including positions tied t
4:51 oinspections and safety
4:53 oversight. And while the
4:53 council has fought year over
4:55 year year to recover positions
4:57 even in the most recent fiscal
5:00 year, diab enforcement
5:01 division saw a reduction of 16
5:05 positions,
5:05 including seven inspect
5:06 oriole titles, so I will
5:07 continue to push for inspect
5:08 oriole and safety agency.
5:10 Excuse
5:10 . Me and safety capacity that
5:12 the agency needs. I look
5:14 forward to hearing more about
5:15 the administration's approach
5:17 to construction safety,
5:17 implementation of recent
5:19 council legislation and
5:20 further opportunities t
5:21 ocollaborate toward our shared
5:22 goal of keeping New yorkers
5:24 safe. I'd like to take this
5:25 opportunity to take thank my
5:28 team deputy chiefs of staff
5:30 ben ratner and can kim
5:32 castellanos, our district
5:33 director maria ho saint mary's
5:35 gerard fernandez, soraya bania
5:37 , brianna acevedo, malia
5:39 ,sardinia. Welcome to our New
5:40 fellow and marcus connor,
5:44 intern. I'd also like to thank
5:44 the housing and buildings
5:46 committee staff, a senior
5:48 legislative council, austin
5:49 malone legislative council
5:50 billy egg.
5:52 Failure, not sillier.
5:53 Senior policy analyst jose
5:56 condi senior policy analyst
5:57 Eric spencer, data scientist
5:59 mohammed shadid and noah
6:01 slosberg and finance finance
6:03 analyst karlyn arango and
6:05 spencer kun
6:06 . And with that. Thank you all
6:07 for being here today. I'm
6:07 going to turn it over to our
6:08 counsel to administer the oat
6:15 h, please raise your right han
6:16 d, do you affirm to tell the
6:16 truth, the whole truth and
6:17 nothing but the truth and to
6:18 answer all counsel questions
6:21 .honestly, I do. Thank you. You
6:23 begin one. Ready? Thank you.
6:27 Good morning chair, Sanchez
6:27 and members of the committee
6:28 on housing and buildings. I am
6:30 ahmed, the New York City
6:32 department of buildings I am
6:33 joined today by gosh, mash,
6:37 first deputy commissioner
6:38 patino, deputy commissioner of
6:39 policy and legal affairs and
6:41 several members of the
6:42 department's leadership team.
6:45 Thank you for holding thi
6:46 shearing on the critical issue
6:47 of construction safety. We
6:48 look forward to discussing the
6:49 department's efforts to keep
6:51 New yorkers safe across New
6:53 York city's landscape of
6:54 nearly buildings and 40000
6:58 active construction sites
7:00 ,approximately 1700 dedicated
7:04 department employees work
7:04 every day to support the
7:05 city's gross and safety. I
7:08 just want to emphasize, I
7:09 mentioned a full number
7:10 because in addition to our
7:12 inspectors. It also includes
7:14 the administrative and
7:15 clerical staff, the attorneys
7:17 is a full whole cycle of work
7:20 that happens in order to make
7:21 this process work effectively
7:25 as residential and commercial
7:26 buildings are constructed or
7:29 altered safety is the thread
7:30 connecting all of our efforts,
7:32 it shapes how our code
7:34 development team collaborated
7:35 with industry to update and
7:37 refine the construction codes.
7:38 Nare our inspectors assess both
7:44 active construction sites and
7:47 existing buildings. The
7:48 regulations we enforce further
7:49 the agency's missionf o
7:50 ensuring the safe and lawful
7:52 use of buildings and
7:54 construction sites across the
7:57 fiber this work ultimately
7:58 protects all New yorkers and
7:59 those who visit and work in
8:00 our great City, including the
8:04 construction workers who
8:04 helped build it and maintain
8:06 it
8:07 . Today I'm going to address
8:07 the following broad topics.
8:09 The departments construction
8:11 safety related regulatory
8:13 framework training
8:14 requirements, education and
8:17 outreach enforcement and
8:18 technology and innovation, the
8:19 department's regulatory
8:20 framework relies on the
8:21 requirements in our codes,
8:23 particularly chapter 33 of the
8:24 New York City building code
8:26 and related the department
8:30 rules chapter 33 sets the
8:31 city's core safety
8:32 requirements for construction
8:33 and demolition work focusing
8:35 on protecting the public
8:37 workers and neighboring
8:39 properties it mandates saif
8:41 job site conditions site
8:42 safety plans for large
8:45 rprojects, stringent
8:45 requirements for the use of
8:46 cranes and heavy equipment
8:50 procedures for controlled
8:51 demolition work and protecting
8:52 and monitoring of adjacent
8:55 buildings chapter 33, not only
8:56 sets requirements for how
8:57 construction and demolition
8:58 work is carried out. It also
9:01 establishes requirements for
9:02 sites, safety professionals at
9:06 larger jobs.
9:06 For example, it requires a
9:08 licensed construction
9:10 superintendent to oversee
9:10 certain construction and
9:13 demolition projects, including
9:13 the construction of New
9:16 buildings. The full demolition
9:17 of existing domains and large
9:19 alterations to existing
9:21 buildings through rule has
9:24 specified the tasks a
9:27 construction superintendent is
9:28 expected to perform and
9:29 fulfilling their cold
9:30 obligations of maintaining a
9:32 safe site, including a daily
9:33 inspection of the job site
9:35 ensuring compliance with
9:37 chapter 33 and with approved
9:40 construction documents.
9:41 Additionally, pursuant to
9:41 local law hundred 49 of 20 21
9:45 has put restrictions on the
9:46 number of job sites, a
9:50 construction superintendent
9:51 can be responsible for and
9:51 will begin to enforce a strict
9:55 one job limit and mandatory on
9:57 site presence starting early
9:59 next year when deal be makes
10:01 changes the codes or our
10:03 processes, such as changes to
10:05 the super intendant
10:06 requirements. It's important
10:07 to make sure that the industry
10:10 building owners and the public
10:11 are provided notice.
10:12 To that end uses service
10:16 notices construction
10:17 advisories building bolton's
10:18 and are my building newsletter
10:20 , which in the pitch if you
10:20 haven't signed up for the my
10:22 building news that there.
10:23 Please go online at your email
10:25 we use these tools to keep the
10:27 construction industry and
10:30 public informed to provide
10:31 more detailed guidance to
10:33 clarify regulatory
10:33 requirements and alert the
10:35 industry and the public to
10:38 emerging safety issues and
10:40 regulatory changes, the
10:40 department also uses it social
10:43 media platforms and holds
10:44 quarterly meetings with
10:45 various segments of the
10:46 construction industry and even
10:47 monthly meetings in our
10:49 borough office with such
10:49 issues are discussed
10:53 .ultimately these proactive
10:54 outreach efforts ensure that
10:56 our industry partners building
10:57 owners and public are well
10:59 informed and can prepare for
11:00 changes that will impact them
11:03 department is always looking
11:04 for ways to modernize and
11:05 facilitate safe for City. I am
11:07 proud to say that in
11:08 partnership with the mayor's
11:10 office. We are convening the
11:11 mayor's committee on
11:12 construction safety, one of
11:14 the key recommendations and
11:16 actions in the housing plan as
11:18 part of a broader effort to
11:20 address injuries and
11:21 fatalities across New York
11:22 city's construction industry
11:25 invitations to the first
11:26 committee, meaning were sent
11:27 out this week and the
11:28 committee is expected t
11:30 oconvene in this effort will
11:33 bring together labour
11:35 representatives, workers,
11:36 industry experts and senior
11:37 City officials to examine
11:40 systematic safety challenges
11:41 and recommend reforms which
11:44 include legislative reforms
11:44 that we would work on with
11:48 .cancel the committee's mandate
11:49 includes identifying the root
11:50 causes of persistent
11:52 construction injuries and
11:54 fatalities evaluating current
11:56 enforcement tools and
11:57 identifying gaps in
11:59 accountability, particularly
12:02 where contractors repeatedly
12:03 violate safe standards. The
12:05 committee will also assess how
12:06 emerging technologies can help
12:08 reduce hazardous tasks and and
12:10 protect workers and extreme
12:12 weather conditions, which was
12:14 the focus of the mayor's
12:15 executive order 17 issued
12:16 earlier this year. Through
12:20 this work. The committee to
12:22 strengthen safety while
12:23 supporting the City is housing
12:26 and broader development goals
12:28 cheer Sanchez, we look forward
12:29 to your participation on the
12:33 committee, pointing the band
12:35 itself to further support
12:37 housing and development, the
12:38 department recently launched a
12:40 related effort, the affordable
12:42 and efficient construction
12:43 reform task force, the desert
12:45 force is an initiative aimed
12:47 at streamlining the
12:48 development process in New
12:49 York City and a major
12:51 component component of the
12:52 administration's blocked
12:53 blocked block housing plans
12:56 departments working with
12:57 industry and agency partners
12:59 to evaluate multiple facets of
13:00 the agency's regulatory
13:02 framework to identify areas
13:03 for improvement to speed up