Int. No. 335
By Council Members Koppell, Comrie, Foster, Jackson, Martinez, Sanders, Seabrook, Serrano, Stewart, Vann, Yassky, Gerson, Quinn and Brewer
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to establishing a training program through the department of housing preservation and development to instruct individuals in the necessary procedures for identifying housing maintenance code violations and to certify qualified individuals as volunteer citizen housing inspectors.
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Section 1803 of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new subdivision three to read as follows:
3. The commissioner shall authorize the training and certification of volunteer citizen housing inspectors. Upon completion of training and certification, a volunteer shall be designated as a “citizen housing inspector.” A citizen housing inspector shall have such qualifications as shall be prescribed by the commissioner. A citizen housing inspector shall, in accordance with law and with the permission of a lawful occupant of a dwelling unit in a multiple dwelling, have the right to enter and inspect such dwelling unit and any area in a multiple dwelling, or any part thereof, or anything therein or attached thereto to which the public has routine and ordinary access. A citizen housing inspector shall be authorized by the commissioner to report to the commissioner or any inspector or any officer of the department authorized pursuant to subdivision two of this section, any condition which the citizen housing inspector believes constitutes a violation that may be written by an employee of the department. Upon such request, the department shall, as soon as practicable, inspect the conditions reported by the citizen housing inspector and take such action as is appropriate.
§2. This local law shall take effect immediately.
LS# 1549
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