Buildings Commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster
Announces An "Open House" For Staten Island Homeowners And The Implementation Of A Streamlined Co Process

Department of Buildings Commissioner Patricia J. Lancaster today announced that the Staten Island office of the Buildings Department will be open on Saturday, August 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. to homeowners so that they can address concerns regarding their Certificates of Occupancy (CO), property violations or construction applications with borough office staff. The "Open House" concept is being implemented at the suggestion of Borough President James Molinaro. The Staten Island Borough Office is located in Staten Island Borough Hall.

"I made a promise to the people of Staten Island to make government more responsive to their concerns," said Mayor Bloomberg. "Opening the doors of the Staten Island Buildings Department on the weekend will make it easier for homeowners to resolve their outstanding property issues."

"While the Staten Island Growth Management Task Force considers over development, there are some things that we can do now to improve the quality of life for Staten Islanders," said Task Force Co-Chair Vincent La Padula.

The Department of Buildings will offer assistance in the following areas:

• Identification of outstanding Certificate of Occupancy requirements
• Requirements for the correction/removal of violations
• Information on home improvements and permit requirements
• Demonstration of Building Information System (BIS), the Department's online property database

"I applaud the quick action by Mayor Bloomberg, who once again has demonstrated his commitment to the people of Staten Island on addressing the over development issue. My thanks to him, Task Force Co-Chairs Vincent La Padula and Amanda Burden, and Commissioner Lancaster for their efforts. I look forward to seeing homeowners at Borough Hall on August 23," said Staten Island Borough President James P. Molinaro.

Homeowners who cannot make it to the Department on August 23 can research their property records by visiting the Department of Building's website, NYC.gov/buildings and selecting the link to BISWeb.

In addition, next week Buildings will begin implementing a project to streamline and reform the Certificate of Occupancy process from beginning to end. The Department expects to gradually eliminate the need for interim or "temporary" Certificates of Occupancy for one and two family homes. Both CO reform and the Saturday open house initiatives are part of making New York City a better place to live, work and build.

If Staten Island homeowners have any questions about this service, please call 311.

Contact: Sid Dinsay/Ilyse Fink (212) 566-3473