ALBANY — The shape and leadership of city agencies under Mayor Dorcey Applyrs became clearer this week as she announced a new director for the Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance and the breakup of the Department of Recreation, Youth and Workforce Services into two separate departments.
On Wednesday, Applyrs said Valerie Scott, the codes department’s deputy director, would now lead the department. Scott’s appointment, which is subject to the approval of the Common Council, comes as the city reviews the number of rental units in the city operating without required residential occupancy permits.
The review was prompted by a fatal fire last month on Western Avenue. The building lacked the required permits and had not been inspected by the city’s codes department since 2021. Inspectors in Scott’s department will also be responsible for permitting any renovations to the city’s vast quantity of aging housing stock while also regulating construction during what Applyrs’ administration hopes will be a period of increased residential development across the city…