Super towers, bars on every corner, even entire new neighborhoods mean that Manhattan is noisier than ever. And the complaints of those who believe that the additional noise could have a negative impact on quality of life, rents or even property values seem to be falling on deaf ears.
“The number of noise complaints in New York City more than doubled between 2010 and 2015, including tens of thousands involving nightlife, but my auditors found limited communication between the SLA [State Liquor Authority] and NYPD to address the grievances,” Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said, according to the New York Post.
“Establishments with hundreds of complaints lodged against them faced little or no repercussions. For the sake of city residents, more action must be taken to address noisy clubs and bars.”
Complaints rose from 86,365 called in to 311 in 2010 to 179,394 in 2015, with clubs and bars accounting for 93,412 complaints in 2015. And according to the Post, very few of these complaints ever received “corrective action.”
Official action against these establishments has been hindered by lack of communication between the NYPD and the SLA, the comptroller found.
The NYPD responded to the audit by promising to better address noise complaints at bars and clubs. [NYP] —Christopher Cameron