A recent audit by City Comptroller Brad Lander reveals that homeowners in predominantly Black and Brown neighborhoods incur the highest fines for Department of Buildings (DOB) violations, along with those in low-income areas. The audit, covering the 2022-2023 period, shows a stark racial disparity in enforcement outcomes related to building violations, especially concerning illegal conversions driven by anonymous 311 complaints. Lander's report urges the DOB to reform its processes, particularly in managing these complaints, to adequately protect the interests of vulnerable communities from unjust penalties.
Homeowners in predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhoods face disproportionately high fines from DOB code violations, highlighting systemic inequities in enforcement practices.
The audit reveals that the enforcement actions taken by the Department of Buildings are not equally applied across different socio-economic demographics.
#racial-disparities #building-code-violations #housing-inequality #community-enforcement #economic-justice
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