New DOB maps shows all building violations, permits issued in past 12 months

The Department of Buildings now has an interactive map that offers a quick glimpse at construction activity, accidents and violations in the city over the past 12 months.

The map, unveiled on Friday, highlights every building that has had some interaction with the DOB in the past year. Such interactions include being issued construction permits, receiving violations and being inspected — for elevators, boilers, plumbing, facades, etc. — during that period. The map can be filtered for specific kinds of complaints received at each property, as well as for certain kinds of incidents.

For example, the DOB received 1,040 complaints related to tenant harassment across 679 building in the past year, according to the agency’s data. There were 703 reported construction accidents across 394 buildings, and 108 reports of workers falling from construction sites. The map itself provides stats for each property, but to get detailed information on individual violations and permits, users have to click on the building’s “profile,” which links back to the agency’s website.

The map is the latest data-driven tool released by the agency. The DOB’s other recent efforts include a map of the city’s permitted sidewalk sheds and its Construction Dashboard, which provides an overview of construction activity. There’s been a broader push in the city to make the agency’s activities more transparent and accessible. Last month, the City Council passed legislation that will require the DOB to create an opt-in email alert system, which will provide residents updates when the status of a building permit changes.

Last year, The Real Deal launched its own interactive map allowing users to track the different stages of construction of more than 16,000 buildings.