Lawmakers in New York are pushing for tighter protocols for structural inspections of buildings in the state in the wake of last month’s tragedy in Surfside, Florida.
New York currently has no state laws mandating structural inspections of buildings after they are erected. Last week, State Sen. Todd Kaminsky called for the start of periodic inspections, according to the Times Union.
Because the state legislature is currently out of session, Kaminsky sent a letter asking the relatively little-known Code Council to take up the issue. The letter, dated July 6, was co-signed by State Sens. Diane Savino and Roxanne Persaud. The council has not responded, but the Department of State told the publication that the council is constantly reviewing building codes.
The 17-member board was set to meet on June 25, just one day after the Surfside condo collapse. Details of the meeting have not been publicly revealed, though it was initially canceled before being rescheduled for later in the day.
The Department of State says the council will meet again in September, though it’s not clear if the letter will have a place on the agenda.
Currently, the only periodic inspection on the books in New York is for fire safety and property maintenance. It comes every one-to-three years and involves looking at fire code issues, like smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
The search for victims following the collapse of Champlain Towers South on June 24 remains ongoing. As of Friday morning, there are 97 confirmed deaths.
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[Times Union] — Holden Walter-Warner