DOB Commissioner on Inspectors, Violations, and Appeals

Rick Chandler has been commissioner of the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) since 2014. He talked with Habitat recently about issues facing co-op and condo boards and their professionals. This is an edited version of the interview.

Habitat: Last year, the DOB hired 140 new inspectors. Many architects and engineers have complained that the new inspectors are under-qualified and that their decisions sometimes seem arbitrary. What are their qualifications, and how much training do they receive? 

Chandler: That’s an excellent question. Our training is quite good. That said, these are human beings, and there is an enormous amount [to know]. We have a fair number of people who do very specialized work, and then we have a fair number of inspectors who are – I would use the word “generalists.” We try to make sure that we give them appropriate guidance. There are certain conditions [where] they have to consult with their supervisor before they issue a certain type of violation. I acknowledge that sometimes, as human beings, they can – as we all do – make subjective judgments. 

Habitat: Is there any plan to institute an appeals process? 

Chandler: There are ways to appeal. If our guy’s being a little bit onerous, then we should know about that and take it into consideration. We have an assistant commissioner over our facades unit. He has senior people who would consider any requests of that nature. [The architect or engineer should] communicate with the inspector and say, “I don’t agree, and I’d like to engage with your supervisor and have a conversation. Could you please let me know who that is?” If they don’t want to do that, I would encourage the [architect or engineer] to either email our facades unit – or call the general number, and [get] routed to our facades unit. 

Habitat: Something we hear all the time is the term “unfunded mandates.” For example, new regs that require a third party to inspect elevator work. That’s a cost that didn’t used to exist, and now boards have to absorb it. Is the DOB, or any other city agency, keeping track of these growing costs that boards have to absorb? 

Chandler: We don’t keep track of costs because everyone has different estimates. It certainly helps that I and others around here are co-op and condo owners, so we feel it, too. In the first term of [the de Blasio] administration, 84 pieces of legislation from the city council affected our agency. We testified on every one of those as to what we thought the impact would be versus the cost. 

Habitat: Code requirements are constantly changing, and a lot of managers say the requirements are overwhelming. Is the DOB doing anything to make the code changes easier to understand and comply with? 

Chandler: Yes, there are a couple of ways. Our technical affairs unit has created project guidelines, and they’re posted on our website. We try to write them for three types of audiences: design professionals, owners and managers, and then our own staff. I would encourage people to go to nyc.gov/buildings. There’ll be a “project guidelines” link. The other thing is our “Buildings News.” They could sign up using that same website. That’s where we publish lots of updates and bits of information that people should know. We’re trying to do what we do with everything, and that is to facilitate safe, compliant development. Safety is first.