Chris Banks

This bill would require the Commissioner of Finance to provide notice of intent to sell tax liens by certified mail, return receipt requested, as well as by email, phone or in person. The Commissioner would be required to document all attempts to provide notice and to retain any receipts of notice for no less than 5 years. In the event that a receipt of notice is not received, the Department of Finance would be required to notify the relevant Council Member by email prior to the date of sale.

This bill would require the Mayor, in coordination with the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), New York Police Department (NYPD), and Department of Investigation (DOI), to submit to the Speaker of the Council and post online a monthly report tracking alleged and confirmed unauthorized occupancies of, and reclamation efforts concerning, NYCHA dwelling units. Each report would cover information from the previous month. The bill would require reporting on different stages of the reclamation process: initial reporting of unauthorized occupancy, active investigation, pending administrative and judicial proceedings, final determinations, and NYCHA’s recovery of possession of dwelling units.

This bill would require the department of citywide administrative services (DCAS) to conduct a feasibility study to assess whether the department could offer a program to reimburse civil service applicants who did not receive an employment offer before the eligible list upon which their name was listed expires for the required fees associated with the application process. The study would assume that each reimbursement is capped at $500, and that civil service applicants would be required to submit a reimbursement form within 6 months of the eligible list they appeared on expiring.

This bill would allow property owners that need to register their property with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) to do so through an electronic registration system. The signatures obtained via this method would be deemed sufficient for registration purposes, but property owners would still have the option of sending in written signatures for a period of at least 180 days. HPD would be required to maintain the electronic registration system on its website, and to accept electronic payments of the filing fee through such system.

This bill would permit the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (MOME) to suspend or revoke a press credential where MOME has demonstrated by a preponderance of the evidence that such a suspension or revocation is justified at a hearing conducted by the Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings. This bill would also require MOME to review its rules establishing application procedures, the criteria for denial of an application, and the criteria for suspension or revocation of press credentials to determine if any updates or revisions are necessary.

This bill would require the Department of Small Business Services to create an online business directory for NYCHA tenant-owned businesses and a marketing campaign to highlight the directory.

This bill would expand existing requirements regarding the dissemination of information about the Senior Citizen Rent Increase Exemption program to also include the Disability Rent Increase Exemption program and would add the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities as a participating agency. The bill would also require the Department of Finance (DOF) to provide annual training to designated personnel at participating agencies on information regarding rent freeze programs, including eligibility requirements, application and renewal procedures, key program features, reasonable accommodations, and applicant referrals. Additionally, DOF would be required to report annually to the Council on such trainings.

This bill would require the Department of Design and Construction, in consultation with the Department of Citywide Administrative Services and other relevant agencies, to establish and maintain a catalog of pre-approved standard designs for small capital structures of no more than 2,500 square feet and no more than $10 million in estimated construction cost. The bill would require a contracting agency to have prospective bidders use a standard design from the catalog when building a small capital structure unless the head of the agency determines that no design in the catalog can reasonably be adapted to the site conditions of the project.

This bill would require any permit issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) authorizing the temporary closure of a street to motor vehicle traffic to include a stipulation requiring that the permit holder implement and maintain temporary “no standing” areas or other temporary parking restrictions on the streets surrounding such street closure to facilitate the safe conduct of buses and commercial vehicles. This bill would also require that the permit holder provide notice regarding such parking restriction changes in the affected areas.