PolicyPro: Council eyes heat protections for construction workers

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Hey there, let’s get into today’s news at the intersection of policy and real estate:

• A City Council bill would give construction workers new protections from extreme heat, including the ability to halt work.
• The real estate industry is pushing back on a bill that would layer new bureaucracy on construction site debris removal.
• City Council Speaker Julie Menin signals an appetite for COPA compromise.

In this edition we mention: City Council member Carmen De La Rosa, New York Building Congress CEO Carlo Scissura, Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York and Long Island Business Manager David Bolger, Council member Ty Hankerson, City Council Speaker Julie Menin and others.

We Heard

• Heat rules: As New York City endures extreme heat that could top out at 100 degrees, city lawmakers are pushing for new protections for construction workers facing dangerous conditions on job sites. A bill introduced by City Council member Carmen De La Rosa would require building site permit holders to adopt a “heat action plan” and suspend work during extended stretches of extreme heat. Several safety measures would kick in when the city reaches a “heat stress threshold” of 85 degrees for an hour or more. At that point, site managers would be required to provide drinking water, shaded or cooled rest areas and first-aid resources for workers showing signs of heat-related illness. The legislation also mandates heat-appropriate uniforms and equipment, including fans. Employers would have to supply at least one quart of drinking water per worker per hour, kept at 60 degrees or below. If the mercury rises to the “extreme heat stress threshold” of 95 degrees or higher for an hour or more all work must be suspended; the only exception would be for emergency work authorized by the Department of Buildings to address dangerous conditions. The bill has 10 sponsors so far and is expected to draw backing from construction unions. David Bolger, business manager of the Mason Tenders District Council of Greater New York and Long Island, said he looks forward to working with the Council to advance the measure. “As we head into the summer months and face more frequent 90- and 100-degree days, it is imperative that we put safeguards in place to keep workers safe,” said Bolger. City Hall is also signaling support. “Construction worker safety is of utmost importance to the Mamdani administration,” said mayoral spokesperson Matthew Rauschenbach, adding that the mayor’s office is reviewing the bill. The New York Building Congress, a key construction industry trade group, also backs the proposal. “This bill sets forth a number of sensible provisions that support worker safety and dignity, which the Building Congress will always support,” said the Building Congress’ CEO Carlo Scissura in a statement. Albany legislation first introduced in 2023 by state Sen. Jessica Ramos would have required employers to provide drinking water, rest breaks and air-conditioning to construction, agriculture and food service workers, among others. But Ramos’ bill has failed to gain momentum in either the Senate or Assembly over the past two sessions, amid pushback from the agricultural industry. Eight other states, including California, Washington and Maryland, have enforceable extreme heat standards in place or in development.
  
• Waste war: A new City Council bill would ratchet up oversight of construction and demolition debris, requiring contractors to jump through a new set of compliance hoops that the real estate industry and builders say could slow projects at a time when the Mamdani administration is looking to cut red tape to build housing. Sponsored by City Council member Ty Hankerson, the measure would mandate that any contractor seeking a permit to build, alter or demolish a structure submit a detailed “construction waste management disposal plan” laying out licensed haulers, transport routes, receiving facilities and disposal methods for different materials. Before signing off on a permit, the city would require proof the plan was followed, requiring applicants to produce documentation like hauler receipts and facility manifests. Noncompliance could carry penalties starting at $1,000. In testimony submitted to the Council, the Real Estate Board of New York blasted the bill as “overly prescriptive” and warned it would impose “significant administrative burdens” on contractors. The Contractors Association of Greater New York backed up REBNY’s objections, calling the proposal “unnecessary” and arguing it duplicates existing oversight of debris removal already handled by the city’s Business Integrity Commission. On the other side, Department of Sanitation Commissioner Gregory Anderson said the administration supports the goal of cracking down on “shady contractors” who dump waste illegally in parks and neighborhoods. But he cautioned that the city wants to “better understand the implications that new requirements will have for all construction projects, including badly needed affordable housing.” Anderson said he views the bill as a starting point for a broader conversation with the Council and the contractor community about how construction waste should be regulated going forward.
  
• Bill dance: At a Crain’s New York Business event this morning, City Council Speaker Julie Menin stopped short of fully backing the latest version of the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, or COPA, which would give qualified nonprofits the first shot at buying certain distressed multifamily buildings. Still, Menin said her team has worked with Council member Sandy Nurse to address concerns raised in earlier drafts of the bill, including narrowing the pool of buildings the law would cover and tightening the timeline for transactions. Critics say the changes haven’t assuaged their concerns. The back-and-forth signals a degree of openness from Menin toward the legislation, which has already lined up over 26 Council sponsors — a majority of Council support needed to pass the bill if it reaches the full chamber vote. Earlier this week newly-elected Council member Carl Wilson became the latest lawmaker to sign on to the bill.

Have a tip or feedback? Reach me at caroline.spivack@therealdeal.com. 

Bill Tracker

The Catch-Up

City Council Speaker Julie Menin unveiled an initiative Tuesday to build affordable housing on existing public library locations, with three initial sites targeted for redevelopment in the Bronx, Queens and Brooklyn, reports The Real Deal’s Ben Miller.

Despite being outnumbered, homeowners in New York City wield more political power than tenants, securing lower property tax rates for themselves at the expense of large apartment buildings, writes TRD columnist Erik Engquist. 

New York City can move its main intake shelter for homeless men to the East Village after a judge on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit that had stalled the relocation for more than a month, reports The New York Times.

Residential construction prices rose sharply in May, with data from the National Association of Home Builders showing the largest monthly increase in goods costs since March 2022, reports HousingWire.

Physical constraints, a dirtier power grid and federal pullbacks on renewable energy are making it harder for commercial real estate owners to cut building emissions — likely weighing on future returns, reports Bisnow.

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