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Q&A

Morano asks about strengthening enforcement infrastructure

New York City Council · Aug 11, 2026 · starts 0:12:07 · 1 min 32 sec

Morano questions whether the underlying problem is weak enforcement and asks what will prevent needing another amnesty in five years. Lee describes exploring policy changes including checking for ECB judgments when entities apply for permits and requiring cures before permit issuance.

Frank Morano

There was something in your testimony that really caught my attention.

Frank Morano

You say these programs are particularly useful where the city doesn't have a strong mechanism for enforcement.

Frank Morano

Isn't that really the underlying problem here?

Frank Morano

Don't we need to look at a stronger enforcement infrastructure?

Richard Lee

That is one of the things that we are exploring, ways that we can introduce legislation that might give us better tools in enforcement.

Richard Lee

And we're working with several of our sister agencies in order to identify ways that we could better enforce ECB violations through legislation.

Frank Morano

If you had a recommendation, obviously you're not necessarily a policymaker, but if you had a recommendation, what are we going to do differently after this program so we're not back here in five years passing another amnesty for exactly the same reasons?

Richard Lee

So we are exploring a couple of different policy changes.

Richard Lee

I'll give you one for example.

Richard Lee

We're

Richard Lee

looking at convergences between those entities that are, let's say, going in for permits for one reason or another, and looking to see if they have an ECB judgment in existence.

Richard Lee

And so we're working on a policy with several agencies to say if there is an ECB violation in place, then we should...

Richard Lee

We should have those entities cure those before issuing a permit.

Richard Lee

So we are looking at different ways that we can creatively enforce on the existing population.

Shaun Abreu

Thanks very much.

Shaun Abreu

Councilmember Wong, followed by Brooks Powers.