Protecting New York City tenants is serious business. And New York City takes it very seriously. Amended Requirements to Local Law 154 are now in effect. Here’s the details…
Tenant protection is important when it comes to safeguarding the health and safety of building occupants, especially when a building is under construction or when work is being done in a building. That is the reason why as of this past Dec. 28, 2017, Local Law 154 of 2017 amended Administrative Code requirements for Tenant Protection Plans (TPPs).
Here’s how the amended requirements to Local Law 154 help protect tenants.
The required changes include more detailed information on the measures that are taken when it comes to protecting tenant health and safety. Additionally, the amendments include the responsibility that owners have to distribute TPP notices and to notify the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB).
What to expect in the TTP form
Accordingly, as said in the DOB’s Upcoming Change notice, the TPP form must describe more specifically how safety and health safeguarding will be implemented, along with the maintaining of “essential services during construction” to include:
- The ways/methods to be used to ensure the safety of occupants during construction work.
- The ways in which essential services will be maintained during construction work must be specified in the TPP. In addition to “the anticipated duration of a disruption to essential services, if the disruption is anticipated, and the means and methods to be employed to minimize the disruption.” Essential services include heat, hot water, gas, electricity, etc.
Building owners also must coordinate with construction management to obtain the detailed information. Additionally, the new language states that terms such as “code-compliant,” “legal,” and “protected in accordance with law” may not be used as placeholders.
Posting and notification to tenants
According to the DOB, owners are responsible for posting and distributing TPP notices as well as notifying the DOB:
- Owners must provide TPP copies to tenants upon request.
- Owners must distribute a TPP notice to each occupied dwelling unit, or
- Post a notice about the TPP in the lobby of the building and on each floor “within 10 feet of the elevator, or in a building where there is no elevator, within 10 feet of or in the main stairwell on such floor.”
Additionally, the TPP notice must include the following:
- A statement that building occupants may request a hard copy of the TPP from the owner or access the TPP on the DOB’s website;
- Name and contact information of the Site Safety Manager, Site Safety Coordinator or Construction Superintendent, as applicable; or, in the absence of these roles, the name and contact information of the building owner or the owner’s designee; and
- A statement that work-related complaints may be made to 311
Finally, owners must notify the DOB 72 hours before starting construction work in a building with a TPP. As of the Dec. 28, 2017, amended date, the DOB added an online notification form to its website.
Tennant Protection Plans are part of the services offered by TSC. The Client Services team can help you get your TPP prepared and in place and answer any questions about the amended requirements to Local Law 154.
For more information or further assistance, contact Vin Campisi or Diana Striffolina in Client Services today.