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After six months of operating under an acting commissioner, New York City's Department of Buildings is getting a new full-time leader.
Mayor Eric Adams has appointed Jimmy Oddo, a former borough president of Staten Island, to step into the role, City & State reported, citing unnamed sources. Oddo is currently the chief of staff for Meera Joshi, Adams’ deputy mayor for operations, after serving as borough president from 2014 to 2021.
Adams’ previous appointment to the position, former Queens City Councilman Eric Ulrich, stepped down in November following an investigation into alleged links to illegal gambling and organized crime. Ulrich hasn't been charged with a crime to date, The Real Deal reported.
Longtime DOB employee Kazimir Vilenchik, who has served as a borough commissioner for the agency, has been standing in as the interim DOB Commissioner since Ulrich’s resignation.
Like his predecessor, Oddo is a Republican and is a politician first rather than an expert on regulations governing development. Oddo’s appointment comes as the agency faces significant obstacles, including Local Law 97 enforcement and additional scrutiny following the collapse of a Manhattan parking garage last week that had open violations.
The DOB is also facing a 16% staffing shortfall, with a 10% vacancy rate in its inspections unit, Commercial Observer reported. Last year also had the highest number of construction worker deaths since before the pandemic, with industry watchdogs saying that a more targeted approach to construction site inspections is necessary if the agency is forced to conduct fewer of them.
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