Building owners will be required to file annual reports on bedbug infestations and either send notices to tenants or post the information under legislation signed into law by Mayor de Blasio, Wednesday. The law goes into effect in six months. If you are dealing with bedbugs and can’t get rid of them hire a bed bug exterminator.
The Mayor also signed a bill, effective in nine months, that would allow building owners to sign up for email alerts when 311 complaints are reported on the City’s online databases. Apparently, the Council was unaware that anyone can set up such alerts now at https://opendata.cityofnewyork.us/, although the database is not reliably updated.
In an attempt to crack down on illegal conversions and rooming houses, the City Council, Wednesday, passed a bill to fine owners $15,000 for three illegal units above the number listed on the certificate of occupancy.
They also voted to extend a moratorium on conversion of hotels to condominiums. The bill is a favorite of hotel union workers, who, perhaps coincidentally, endorsed de Blasio for reelection that afternoon. The idea is that the hotel industry is losing jobs to residential conversion, although, in fact, the City’s own tourism department reports that new inventory has exceeded losses for years and 25,000 more hotel rooms are in development.
Residential development is also booming again, thanks in part to the State Legislature agreeing to renew 421-a tax incentives. The Building Congress reported this week that permits were issued for 6,343 residential units in the first quarter, nearly triple the prior year and the most for the quarter since 2007.
The latest digital map you didn’t know you needed shows every community facility in the City, including libraries, hospitals, city offices, parks, schools, youth programs, parking lot and more.