The above is a complaint about work being done after hours. The DOB inspector was not able to access the apartment twice, and left behind a LS-4.
An LS-4 "LS-4 posted" means: "DOB couldn't get access, so mailed the owner a letter asking him/her to schedule an inspection." http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-york-city/624564-what-happens-when-inspectors-dob-cant.html#ixzz33izEYbA8
If there's no more info on the DOB site: "If there's nothing at all but an LS-4, there's a chance that there was no followup, the complaint just fell into some black hole (or was "adminstratively" closed, which is pretty much the same thing), and it's still in violation." http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-york-city/624564-what-happens-when-inspectors-dob-cant.html#ixzz33izdYEDy
Or quite simply: "nothing happens. if the inspector cant gain access, then he/she can't issue a violation, because nothing was inspected. the inspector needs to have access to determine if anything is wrong." http://www.city-data.com/forum/new-york-city/624564-what-happens-when-inspectors-dob-cant.html#ixzz33izq1t9Q
As you can read, the case was not resolved but "closed."
Below is a complaint about partitions being put up, but no work permit posted. Same thing happened. The inspector couldn't gain access. Case closed.
Another complaint about no work permits posted. The inspector can't get in. Case closed.
And here's a complaint about no safety net during brick pointing work. The complaint was received 12/19/2012, but inspected only three weeks later, not being considered a Priority A matter, which gets quicker attention. By time the inspector got there, there was no brick pointing work being done. Case: Resolved.
24 comments:
It's been obvious for a long while that DOB inspectors are on CW's payroll.
Well, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. They are understaffed and the laws are not strong enough and are constructed badly to enforce DOB violations.
Basically, a landlord knows that he/she can play the game much swifter than the DOB can respond.
"Basically, a landlord knows that he/she can play the game much swifter than the DOB can respond."
That really inspires confidence, STR! A shitty landlord like CW (and TS) can jeopardize tenants' safety and destroy their quality of life with impunity. It's about time the laws pertaining to construction were seriously looked at and revised and more [honest] inspectors employed. De Blasio should put this on his bucket list.
I think there are a few honest inspectors who really do try to do right by residents of buildings.
I think there are a few who are on landlord's payroll.
Overall the DOB is failing NYC residents and buildings and needs to adjust their priorities.
At present they are operating quantity over quality by prioritizing expediting developer requests as quickly as possible with no questions asked and closing resident complaints without having reached resolution...and sometimes they actually list it as resolved when it is actually just closed.
The NYC DOB needs to shift its priority and be quality over quantity. Because the quality of service with the present operating procedures they are providing to New Yorkers is below standard - Grade D-
Did De Blasio appoint a new DOB Commissioner yet? Who?
Been going on like this in NYC forever.
STPCV needs designated inspectors from the DOB, who can work directly with the tenants complaints and gain access to apartments that have complaints filed against them, by being escorted to the said apartment by a public safety officer who has keys.
The law that no more than 3 unrelated tenants can live in the same apartment needs to be in forced.
Good for the tenants who filed the complaints with the DOB! Shame on the TA who didn't do as they promised on the pledge sheets I signed, represent Tenants to the DOB. Instead of complaining and getting press on bikinis in the Oval, how about some press on the under and unaddressed DOB complaints complaints with official letters and meetings with DOB officials to address the practices and fix the problems and use the untapped power of this big block of PCVST influence. Supporting the tenants who filed the complaint or just making noise about the problem could have fixed the problem here and brought awareness of the practice city-wide helping others too. We don't need the TA to make noise about bikinis. We need the TA to make noise and use influence on our DOB issues! Anything? Anyone? Bueller?
Just how many apartments had wall partition construction without permits? Is it closer to 50% of PCVST is dorms and not the reported 25% dorms?
How big is this damage?
There's some good background on the DOB's lax enforcement and the two knock-two visit-close case rule in this Daily News story from last year.
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/queens/buildings-tougher-firetrips-controller-liu-article-1.1270441
The TA could have had CW removed as special servicer years ago and PCV ST would not be in this position of handed over to Fortress.
Illegal construction
Falsified DOB documents for permits
Illegal real estate deals with NYU
Illegally deregulated rent stabilized housing
The list goes on and on on the numerous ways and case the TA could have put together to have CW removed. But they didn't. Why?
It's not just here, DOB construction complaints wind up in the circular file all over the city. John Liu made a big stink about it last year when he was controller. It's so bad that in 2010 the DOB started putting US Marshalls in as DOB's Deputy Commissioner of Enforcement, the person in charge of overseeing investigations and prosecutions of buildings.
Knowing that the DOB's having big problems, it's really important that a DOB complaint is followed up with the Community Board. A Community Board's main responsibility is receiving complaints from community residents anyway. A service complaint form for our Community Board (CB 6) is online here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/mancb6/html/forms/service_complaint.shtml
STR is probably right. This isn't about bribery. And it isn't about bikinis and the TA. It's about under staffing. There are only around 120 attorneys and investigators in the DOB covering, almost a million buildings in NYC. Whatever the excuse, what the DOB does or doesn't do is ultimately the responsibility of the mayor.
As if it's so easy to get the blueprints and docs from DOB. Go try it, Mr. New TA.
Not sure where to post this---- today i watched the plumber come for a stopped up bathtub.
I never watch the guys, why would I?
Guess where he puts all the gook he takes from the bathtub drain?
Into the TOILET. i swear I saw with my own eyes. Really CR? Bravo.
"As if it's so easy to get the blueprints and docs from DOB. Go try it, Mr. New TA."
Who are you referring to? Who is Mr. New TA?
What's with this Public Membership Pledge that the TA mailed to everyone? Considering how ineffectual the TA has been as CW has rolled all over us and destroyed our community, I don't see any point in signing it. Maybe if Garodnick and his money-mongering cronies were out of the equation, the TA would have focused on really representing the tenants, but I think it's too late now.
As if it's so easy to get the blueprints and docs from DOB. Go try it, Mr. New TA.
There's a new TA. Thank God. Where do I sign up and when is the first lawsuit against the old TA?
This thread seems to make a great case against Owner/CW policing our community. What happens in matters where the public safety is contrary to the objectives of ownership?
It seems to me the TA should SUE the Owner. At worst, the TA should request the 13th precinct establish on-site oversight of the owner-provided security force.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/06/nyregion/stuyvesant-town-lenders-move-to-prevent-investor-from-seizing-the-property.html
Below is the link to send a message to the NYC Fire Commissioner. The new De Blasio commissioner is Daniel Nigro (but they still have the old commissioners name - same link though)
You can do it with your name or anonymously.
Each and Every PCVST building has between 15 - 47 apartments with partitions.
Every building can use the link to send an email requesting an investigation and inspection of all the apartments with wall partitions, the number of occupants, etc.
http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/mailfdny.html
If the DOB is understaffed they need to limit the quantity of work and new buildings until they catch up to safety levels on existing buildings. They must catchup of staff up - either way the DOB must step up and do their jobs. No more excuses and increasing the workload for f=profit of developers when they cant keep the existing buildings safe.
Stuy Town deed transfer values complex at $4.4B
http://therealdeal.com/blog/2014/06/05/stuy-town-deed-values-development-at-4-4b/
Deed in lieu of foreclosure occurred yesterday instead of it going to foreclosure next week.
The TA “getting press on bikinis in the Oval”
This fucking lie keeps cropping up here so I am going to end this bullshit once and for all. From the STR blog itself:
“When it's being used by our college/university student population for sunbathing. Playground 10 was almost half taken yesterday with sunbathers, effectively pushing out the kids who wanted access to that playground. What was more absurd is that yesterday was on the chilly side, making these self-entitled yahoos look very stupid indeed. This playground should NOT be used for sunbathing. (And neither should the fountain area.) We've heard that complaints were made, and now it's time for management to make sure Playground 10 is for playing, not for sunbathing. And please, management, show some balls and don't wait to enforce this once the Oval Lawn is open for sunbathing. Think of the children!”
http://stuytownreport.blogspot.com/2013/05/may-odds-and-ends.html
And this post as well:
http://stuytownreport.blogspot.com/2013/05/stuy-towns-bikini-beauties-vs-soccer.html
“NYU student Melissa DeBlasio (pictured), 21, watched as a guard told beauties laying out on benches outside the playground to sit up.”
NOBODY is allowed to lie on the benches in PCVST, a private residence with public access.
That was the issue. Playground 10. An artificial turf playground that is meant for kid’s sporting activities. NOT the Oval. Of course, the media took it, ran with it (girls gone wild/bikinis theme, etc.) and took Susan Steinberg out of context (we are talking the NY Post here). It was the playground 10 location, not the Oval, that she was talking about. Not the TA “getting press on bikinis in the Oval”
As the STR said as one of comments in the second link:
“Please don't take this as an insult, but are you dense? The issue is NOT sunbathing or a one-piece or two-piece bathing suit, or going topless. The issue is sunbathing in a playground and crowding out the kids and other folks for whom such a playground is originally intended. Playground, playground, playground. The fact that CWCapital can't get its act together to enforce a playground for its typical use (except when it interferes with the commercial soccer business), is another matter, though pertinent, of course.”
OK, now that this bullshit has been put to bed, on to the important things.
“The TA could have had CW removed as special servicer years ago and PCV ST would not be in this position of handed over to Fortress.”
I love how these charges are just thrown out there to stick on the wall. I assume this charge is based upon the theory that since the TA was hot to trot to buy in via Brookfield, anything to upset CWC would endanger that scenario. Regardless of whether the Brookfield Condo conversion is a bad idea (and there are many valid/logical reasons to support that premise), please tell me, under current law, the EXACT legal/political steps (especially during the Bloomberg Administration) that the TA, if they wanted, would have had to do in order to have CWC removed as the special server? And if you haven’t read “Other People’s Money” by Charles V. Bagli, why are we even talking?
Get with the program here, Edmund. If The TA can't wave a wand and make magical ponies appear and things we don't like disappear, well then the TA is not competent and must go now!
Although we have the keen insights and awesome powers that would leave pipsqueaks CWCap and DHCR trembling in our mighty presence, we are kind of busy here and don't have a lot of spare time to devote to the TA. Or we'd do it ourselves!
And by the way, Edmund, you should also know that there is a husband and wife team somewhere in ST-PCV who know exactly how to get around paying the 3 recent MCIs. But they're not telling because "TA trolls will try to stop them!" Tell that to the boobs at Collins, Dobkin & Miller, LLP!
Post a Comment