Int. No. 749
By Council Members Gutiérrez, Won, Schulman, Marte, Krishnan, Restler, Cabán, Hudson, Rivera, Nurse, Ayala, Ossé and Brooks-Powers (in conjunction with the Brooklyn Borough President)
A Local Law to amend the New York city charter, in relation to the creation of an office of residential displacement remediation and establishing a residential displacement remediation online portal
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Chapter 19-a of the New York city charter is amended by adding a new section 499 to read as follows:
§ 499. Office of residential displacement remediation. a. Office created. The commissioner shall establish an office of residential displacement remediation within the department to provide centralized support to city residents displaced by residential fires and other natural disasters. Such office shall be headed by a director of residential displacement remediation who shall be appointed by and shall report to the commissioner. The office created pursuant to this section shall work in consultation with the commissioner of buildings, the commissioner of health and mental hygiene, the fire commissioner, and any other relevant agency to fulfill the duties of the office. The duties of the office shall include, but not be limited to:
1. Provide information on city, state, and federal services available to individuals displaced by residential fires and other natural disasters;
2. Coordinate responses and inspections of relevant agencies, including, but not limited to, by the fire department, the department of buildings, and the department of environmental protection following a residential fire or other natural disaster;
3. Monitor agency compliance with procedures governing inspections conducted by the fire department, the department of buildings, the department of environmental protection, and any other relevant agencies following a residential fire or other natural disaster; and
4. Monitor agency compliance with procedures governing vacate orders issued by the fire department, the department of buildings, and any other relevant agency following a residential fire or other natural disaster.
b. Online information portal. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of information technology and telecommunications, shall develop and maintain a case management portal on the department’s website that provides information for city residents displaced by residential fires and other natural disasters and for owners of the affected properties. The commissioner shall update the information on such portal as frequently as practicable. Such portal shall include, but not be limited to, the following information:
1. The applicable timeline of services and deadlines following a residential fire or other natural disaster;
2. The status of relevant agency inspections;
3. The status of relevant vacate orders;
4. Information on any city, state, or federal organizations or agencies that provide emergency aid to individuals displaced by a residential fire or other natural disaster;
5. Information on any city, state, or federal organizations or agencies that provide emergency housing to individuals displaced by a residential fire or other natural disaster, grouped by borough; and
6. A summary of relevant agencies and their roles following a residential fire or natural disaster whose occurrence leads to displacement.
c. The commissioner, through the portal developed pursuant to subdivision b, shall provide updates on the status of relevant inquiries for city residents displaced by residential fires and other natural disasters by email, text message, or any manner deemed appropriate by the commissioner.
d. Upon the issuance of a vacate order by the department of buildings or any other relevant agency, the commissioner shall provide status update notifications, as provided in subdivision b of this section, to the community board, borough president, and council member representing the district where the residential fire or natural disaster occurred.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law, except that the commissioner of emergency management and any affected agency may take any steps necessary for the implementation of this local law before such effective date.
DPM
LS #10953/14692
3/8/2024 10:00 AM