Today’s post covers the latest NYC agency updates – specifically, new rat mitigation zones and the mayor’s latest plan to manage city landmarks.

Mayor Adams’ Landmarks Plan

Mayor Adams is touting a new plan to help the DOB and the Landmarks Preservation Commission work better together, preventing issues with at-risk landmark properties. View the Mayor’s full announcement here. 

Per the Commercial Observer:

Mayor Eric Adams announced an action plan Friday that would  roll out a variety of tools to circumvent issues ranging from owner and contractor neglect of historic properties to poor communication between the New York City Department of Buildings(DOB) and the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC).

The DOB and FDNY plan to share its data with LPC, who has hired additional enforcement staff. Permit reviews and approvals will undergo more scrutiny, and the DOB and LPC will conduct joint inspections in certain cases. A big change in the process? All applications for work will have to be filed in DOB NOW: Build, instead of on BIS.

Stay tuned for more updates here, including any changes to existing processes that are sure to come.

Increased Enforcement In Rat Mitigation Zones

Local Law 110 required the DSNY to designate certain areas as “Rat Mitigation Zones.” These proposed rules address that requirement – specifically, what the criteria is for inclusion within a zone, and which areas of the city are considered Rat Mitigation Zones.

Required Criteria For Zones

• Number of commissioner orders to abate or city agency referral letters
• Number and percentage of inspections for rat activity for properties that resulted in the issuance of key summonses
• Number of rat baiting visits executed by the DSNY following a failure to comply
• Number and nature of 311 requests for service or complaints related to rat activity within any 12-month period
• The susceptibility to rat infestation of any properties managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation
• Availability of resources to implement mitigation measures, and the mot efficient use of such resources

Designated Zones

Currently, four zones have been designated across 3 boroughs:

Rat Mitigation Zone	Community District	Borough
Chinatown, East Village, Lower East Side Zone	103	Manhattan
Harlem Zone	109, 110, 111	Manhattan
Grand Concourse Zone	203, 204, 205, 206, 207	Bronx
Bushwick, Bedford Stuyvesant, Prospect Heights Zone	303, 304, 308	Brooklyn

There’s also a graphic in the proposed law outlining the specific zones, and spillover into the above community districts. You can view it here.

That said, per the department, “Nothing in this Chapter shall limit or prevent the Department from any nuisance abatement or other pest control activities in areas not designated as a Rat Mitigation Zone, including with the same methods used in a Rat Mitigation Zone.”

What’s not included in the rules? Any specific increased enforcement within zones. Still, a DSNY representative gave Crain’s hints as to what that could mean. Zones will see “proactive and enhanced attention from the city” on rat-related issues, including:

stepping up enforcement on properties that fail multiple inspections; providing case managers to building owners, businesses and residents; and offering educational walkthroughs and “Rat Academies.”

The hearing for this proposed rule will take place on May 4th – you can comment or participate via instructions outlined here.

DOB Bonus – In Case You Missed It

One more proposed rule – the DOB is standardizing their filing fees, as outlined in this rule here.

Elevator filing fees (periodic and category tests) will be $30/device, and boiler filing fees will be $30/boiler. This is in addition to adjusted fees for site safety plan reviews ($610 for initial filings and $545 for amended filings).

We’re into Spring (and soon it’ll be Summer!), which usually means more city updates. Make sure you’re subscribed for the latest agency news!