Legislation passed in the New York State Senate Wednesay that aims to fix code enforcement failures in our area and around the state. Rockland and Orange County state senator James Skoufis, who chaired the Senate investigations committee, spent much of last year holding hearings regarding Ramapo, Newburgh, Mount Vernon and Albany, which all have code enforcement issues to deal with. Skoufis says the bill provides stronger tools to help protect New Yorkers…
The bill would, among other things, create a residential rental registry, develop new penalties for dangerous apartment alterations that restrict fire department access or residents’ ability to evacuate, and increase the minimum standards for training and certification for code enforcement personnel. The package would need to pass in the Assembly and then be signed by the governor to become law.