The New York City Council has voted on legislation that will protect New Yorkers against lead contamination, will create a new office to advocate for homeowners, reduce barriers to building environmentally friendly homes and develop a map of bicycle infrastructure conditions.
Protecting New Yorkers from lead exposure
Introduction 5-A, 6-A and 750-A, all sponsored by Deputy Speaker Diana Ayala would create new protections for residents regarding lead exposure.
The legislative package would require building owners to produce records of lead-based hazard inspections and investigations and any remediation measures taken whenever an owner is issued a lead-based paint violation. It would expand the current lead-based hazard remediation requirement for buildings at turnover to all units where a child under 6 years old lives prior to turnover of that unit and require owners to conduct this remediation work by July 1, 2027.
Legislation would also require the Departments of Housing Preservation and Development and Health and Mental Hygiene to annually identify and inspect buildings where children live and where there might be a risk of exposure to lead-based hazards. This would move the city’s inspection process for lead-based paint hazards to a proactive one rather than simply a complaint driven process.
“Our children deserve to grow up in homes free from harmful substances," said Ayala, "and it is our duty to create an environment where their health and safety are paramount. As public servants, it is our ethical and moral obligation to protect the health and well-being of our fellow citizens. By taking action today, we demonstrate our dedication to the principles of public health and the fundamental rights of every New Yorker. Together, we can create a safer, healthier, and more resilient city for all.”
Creating the Office of the Homeowner Advocate
Introduction 384-A, sponsored by Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers, would create an office of the Homeowner Advocate within the Department of Housing Preservation and Development to provide information, resources and assistance to homeowners.
“Homeownership has long been a vehicle for Americans to build wealth. But for low-income New Yorkers and New Yorkers of color, investing in a home – and keeping it, such that a family can build equity over generations – has scarcely been harder than it is today,” said Brooks-Powers. “We need to invest in homeownership, such that New Yorkers know the City has their back. That is why I’m proud to sponsor Introduction 384 to create the Office of the Homeowner Advocate to provide support and resources to homeowners and create public awareness campaigns about their rights and responsibilities. I look forward to working with the administration to expand resources for homeowners in communities like mine – and making the American Dream more accessible here in New York City.”
Reducing barriers to environmentally friendly homes
Introduction 689-A, sponsored by Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, would eliminate the Department of Building permit, inspection or other service fees related to certain green building projects for one to three family homes.
Developing a map of bicycle infrastructure conditions
New legislation would require the Department of Transportation to create a searchable map that shows all of the City’s bike lanes with information about obstructions caused by street construction, maintenance, or repairs, and the location of temporary bicycle lanes. Introduction 289-A, sponsored by Council Member Carlina Rivera, would create a map will also have information about the location of open streets, bicycle parking infrastructure, micromobility share programs and stations, and information on how to report bicycle lane issues.
“Daily biking rates over East River bridges have increased from under 5,000 trips a day in 2002 to over 24,000 a day in 2022. As more New Yorkers embrace cycling as a sustainable and efficient mode of transportation City leadership must make the appropriate investments to support a seamless and safe bike lane network. Far too many bikers are put at risk unnecessarily each day, and we cannot continue to accept a status quo that prioritizes car drivers over everyone else. High-quality and comprehensive bike infrastructure, including online information on routes and detours, that protects cyclists from hazards is critical to improving public safety and quality of life for all New Yorkers,” said Council Member Carlina Rivera.
Land use and rezoning
7120 New Utrecht rezoning: 7120 New Utrecht LLC seeks a Zoning Map Amendment to change an existing R5/C2-2 zoning district to C4-4L and a related Zoning Text Amendment to map the rezoning area as a Mandatory Inclusionary Housing (MIH) area, Options 1 and 2. These actions will facilitate a new mixed-used eight-story building. It will include approximately 88 housing units, including 26 affordable units, 35 accessory off street parking spaces and 52 bicycle parking spaces, in Council Member Justin Brannan’s district.
1160 Flushing Avenue: 1160 Flushing Ave LLC seeks a zoning map amendment to change an existing M1-1 zoning district to M1-5 to rezone a portion of a block in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn. The Council is modifying the rezoning area to remove additional properties along Wyckoff Avenue where there is no agreement or commitment in place to provide industrial space, in line with recommendations from Brooklyn Community Board 4 and the Brooklyn Borough President, in Council Member Jennifer Gutiérrez’s district.
The Landmarks Preservation Commission’s designation of Linden Street Historic District: a remarkably cohesive and distinctive block of 32 row houses, built in the late 1800s in the Queen Anne, neo-Grec, and Renaissance/Romanesque Revival styles in the Bushwick neighborhood in Brooklyn, in Council Member Gutiérrez’s district.
