East River Houses Credit: Eden, Janine and Jim on Flickr
For the first time, New York City public housing residents can see housing code violations for their buildings online. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development began posting violations at NYCHA buildings on an online public portal this week and via NYC Open Data, following a June legal settlement. The records include more than 500 violations documented through court-ordered inspections since September 15. Housing advocates are hailing the portal for providing the same access to information long available to private tenants, just a week after a partial collapse at a Mott Haven NYCHA building.
“Transparency is one of the most important tools we have for building trust. Advocates and legislators have long called for this change, and we are proud to deliver it,” Acting HPD Commissioner Ahmed Tigani said…