Anthony Iuliano (far l.), director of intergovernmental affairs for the city DOB, spoke to Community Board 9 on Tuesday about many subjects affecting Queens, including illegal conversions. Photo by Michael V. Cusenza
It seems that Queens continues to keep the city Department of Buildings very busy.
That was the story Tuesday night at the Community Board 9 meeting as DOB officials detailed how active the borough is with complaints, inspections and penalties.
“In the city, there were 278 access warrants [filed] last fiscal year,” said Anthony Iuliano, director of intergovernmental affairs for the DOB, referring to building-inspection documents, “Two hundred seventy two were in Queens.”
Iuliano also noted that illegal curb cuts remain an issue throughout the borough.
“[Homeowners] have to correct the condition,” he explained, adding that property owners can have curb cuts installed as long as they adhere to codes or resolutions. “Legalize it, or remove it.”
Still, the most pressing DOB issue in Queens is illegal dwelling conversions, Iuliano said. Of all borough building-condition complaints made via the city’s 311 system, more than half are for illegal conversions.
“The name of the game is access,” said Iuliano, referring to the constitutional difficulty for inspectors in gaining entry to a home or establishment that has been converted illegally.
“These conditions break the building codes, the fire codes, even the school codes,” board member Nick Comaianni said. “My main concern is how can we help [DOB] change the current status to gain entry into the buildings.”
Comaianni suggested either the city or state grant DOB inspectors peace-officer status, or bring back an illegal conversions task force, akin to the squad that former Borough President Claire Shulman installed during her tenure. Iuliano indicated that the task force was “successful.”
“By [investigators] not enforcing codes that are already on the books, we’re paying more in services than it would cost to [police] it,” Comaianni said.
By Michael V. Cusenza
