Enacts the adjacent neighbors' bill of rights

Showing the cosponsors who are on Agora, A to Z. The official record may list more.

• Democratic2

Shown in neutral colors by design; Agora is non-partisan.

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Leroy Comrie says this is needed

There have been an increasing number of reports from homeowners in New York City whose properties are being damaged by adjacent or nearby construction and development. The majority of these reports involve either underpinning of party walls in attached buildings or nearby exca- vation that has destabilized foundations. Few, if any, of these homeown- ers are aware that they have rights in these matters, let alone how to proceed legally or who to contact in cases of emergency. Many of those affected are senior citizens who may lack resources to hire the attorneys and engineers required to address the problems. This measure directs the New York State Department of Buildings to develop a pamphlet known as the "Adjacent Neighbors Bill of Rights "advising home- owners who are adjacent to a property under development or construction of their rights and available resources, and to post it on the Depart- ment's website and such pamphlet to also be mailed by developers to all homeowners who are adjacent to any property. The Department will be required to provide copies to all state and local elected officials, community boards and other organization deemed necessary by the Commis- sioner. Amongst other things, the Adjacent Neighbors Bill of Rights will include: -guidelines for identifying and contacting competent constructions and the services they provide -an advisory of the right of homeowners to review plans to the Depart- ment submitted by developers -an advisory of a homeowner's right to a pre-construction survey, at the developer's expense, when a developer plans to perform under pinning or excavation or encroachments on such homeowner's property -an advisory on when a developer is required to negotiate a license or party wall agreement with a homeowner and that such homeowner should seek representation from a construction attorney -an advisory of a homeowner's right to compel a developer through a party wall or license agreement to take protective measures involving the party wall -an advisory of a homeowner's right to limit permissible hours during which a developer may perform work -an advisory of a developer's obligation under law to homeowners for damages to their property due to the developer's excavations or under- pinning -contact information and other resources within the department related to excavation, underpinning, development plans and permits available to homeowners

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.