Tigani introduces DOB leadership and department overview

Thank you.

Good morning, Chair Sanchez and members of the Committee on Housing and Buildings.

I am Ahmed Tagani, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Buildings.

I am joined today by Igal Shamash, First Deputy Commissioner, Guillermo Patino, Deputy Commissioner of Policy and Legal Affairs, and several members of the department's leadership team.

Thank you for holding this hearing on the critical issue of construction safety.

We look forward to discussing the department's efforts to keep New Yorkers safe.

Across New York City's landscape of nearly 1.1 million buildings and 40,000 active construction sites, approximately 1,700 dedicated department employees work every day to support the city's growth and safety.

I just want to emphasize I mentioned a full number because in addition to our inspectors, it also includes the administrative and clerical staff, the attorneys.

It is a full, whole cycle of work that happens in order to make this process work effectively.

As residential and commercial buildings are constructed,

or altered, safety is the thread connecting all of our efforts.

It shapes how our

Our code development team collaborates with industry to update and refine the construction codes, how our plan examiners evaluate building plans, and how our inspectors assess both active construction sites and existing buildings.

The regulations we enforce further the agency's mission of ensuring the safe and lawful use of buildings and construction sites across the five boroughs.

This work ultimately protects all New Yorkers and those who visit and work in our great city, including the construction workers who help build it and maintain it.