Senate Bill S9519

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9519

SPONSOR: GOUNARDES
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to repeal certain provisions  of the New York city charter relat-
ing to the eight year limitation on the effectiveness of judgments of
the environmental control board

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To repeal the eight year limitation on judgments made by the Environ-
mental Control Board.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 subparagraph (i) of paragraph 1 of subdivision d of section 2
1049-a of the New York city charter.

Section 2 states the effective date.

 
              

JUSTIFICATION:

The New York City Environmental Control Board has jurisdiction over a
number of rules and regulations related to protecting the public's
health and safety and ensuring it has a clean environment. This can
include violations such as dirty sidewalks, lack of sufficient refriger-
ation in restaurants, and completing construction activities at imper-
missible days or times. However, it also includes violations on build-
ings including illegal conversions and lack of sufficient
heating/cooling. Currently, the law states that a judgment made by the
Board pursuant to these issues is in effect for only eight years, after
which the individual is no longer responsible for the fine or other
judgment. This means that there is no holding these people accountable
for failing to meet quality of life standards for renters, tenants, and
consumers.

It is well known that it is a struggle for many to find safe and habita-
ble living conditions, and allowing individuals to skirt their responsi-
bilities to keep their properties up to code is unacceptable. New York-
ers should have as much protection as possible and bad faith actors
should be held accountable. This bill repeals the relevant subsection,
removing the statute of limitations on judgments by the Board so that
negligent property owners and other individuals are forced to correct
health and safety violations that remain after eight years.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.