‘Self-Certified’ NYC Building Plans Rife With Violations

May 27, 2008

More than eight in 10 building plans vetted by architects and engineers — instead of city inspectors — violate zoning rules, New York City reviews of the plans found.

The Buildings Department recently checked 869 of the “self-certified” plans and issued objections against 727 of them, The New York Post reported Sunday.

Recent accidents have heightened scrutiny of construction practices and criticism of the city’s “self-certification” system for building plans. The system lets architects and engineers confirm on their own that some plans comply with regulations, instead of having department inspectors do it independently.

Self-certification has become common since it was created in 1995 to tackle a backlog of plans awaiting approval. Some 54 percent of the 61,000 plans filed between January and April were self-certified.

The Buildings Department randomly reviews 20 percent of self-certified plans.

Some critics have called for ending the program, and the results of the recent reviews fueled their ire.

“It’s an open door for noncompliance” with building and zoning laws, said state Assemblyman James Brennan, a Brooklyn Democrat.

The city has promised a crackdown. Mayor Michael Bloomberg set aside $6 million last year to add three teams of investigators to go after faulty building permit applications and other bad practices.

Acting Buildings Commissioner Robert LiMandri said the agency was setting qualifications for professionals to self-certify plans, and building cases against those who repeatedly break rules.

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Information from: New York Post

Topics New York

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Latest Comments

  • May 24, 2013 at 1:02 am
    GAEL GIBNEY says:
    Self-certification makes the property owner, not the architect or engineer, responsible for rectifying errors. If the architect's self-certified plans and subsequent building ... read more
  • July 9, 2008 at 7:30 am
    John J. Garcia says:
    Dear Councilman McMahon: It has always been transparent to investigate matters that are obvious and those that are not; however, I have attempted to resolve this matter both p... read more
  • June 4, 2008 at 3:46 am
    Luis says:
    A/E are not Gods; they are like the rest of the gentiles. That is why organizations like the ICC exist; they promote the development of "inspectors and plans examiners" who do... read more

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