Brooklyn nabes support City Council bill on building inspections

A proposed City Council bill allowing the Department of Buildings to seek court orders forcing owners and managers to let inspectors enter buildings suspected of having hazardous conditions and committing serious violations has now received the support of Community Board 10, which serves Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. The amended building code provision, known as Intro 368, was discussed at the Board 10 meeting Monday, the Brooklyn Eagle reported. After it recommended passage, the board asked the City Council to clarify what constitutes “immediately hazardous” conditions and “major violations.” The bill has been making the rounds of boards and gaining approvals across the city. “The amendment is a life-and-death matter,” said Ann Falutico, a member of Community Board 10. “The legislation is intended to address the very real problem of illegal conversions. Frequently these result in overcrowded, dangerous immigrant halfway houses… People die, and properties and neighbors are threatened.” While the committee supports the bill’s concept, the bill’s language is flawed and needs clarification, she added. “We do not want inspectors entering homes for any willy-nilly reason, and there must be consistency,” Falutico said. “If the law does not pass constitutional muster for the issuance of warrants, it will quickly become irrelevant. We want this law to work.” [Brooklyn Eagle]