Editorial
An Accident Waiting to Happen

While some people blame the epidemic of falling bricks and collapsing buildings that has beset New York City in recent months on the approach of the millennium, others think it’s global warming. Our city fathers blame it on the age of the buildings and say that nothing can be done.

But we know better—that falling bricks can be predicted by proper inspections, and measures can be taken to prevent the collapsing walls. With the exception of one teenage girl who was killed after construction workers used concrete blocks to weight a tarp on a rooftop (after being told by inspectors to stop the practice), the falling buildings have not yet killed anyone—but if New Age theories or old-fashioned cynicism prevent effective countermeasures, fatalities are certain to mount.

The only way to prevent more collapses and foreseeable deaths would be to beef up the city’s inspection and enforcement force. This year, with state and city budget surpluses, we might be able to return to the good old days before Mayor Edward Koch and Governor Mario Cuomo stripped inspectors from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, from more than 700 to less than 200 for the entire city. With Governor Pataki up for re-election, and City Council Speaker Peter Vallone one of his leading challengers, this issue ought to be a condition for tenant votes next November.

Met Council will be asking the City Council to increase the budget for code inspectors for HPD. Having recently assisted in the defeat of Intro 994A—a bill that would have allowed landlords to wipe out recorded violations simply by filing “self-certifications” with HPD—tenants should feel emboldened enough to take the next step. Call up your City Councilmember and ask him or her to help make New York City safer and more comfortable for tenants. Demand more code inspectors.