MAYOR GIULIANI SIGNS COUNCIL BILL NO. 958, ENABLING ABANDONED PROPERTIES TO BE HELD FOR REHABILITATION BY THIRD PARTIES
Remarks by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani at Public Hearing on Local Laws
The next bill is Introductory Number 958, which was introduced at my request by Council Members Spigner and Pagan.
Intro. 958 follows on the heels of Local Law 37 of 1996 which amended the in rem provisions of the Administrative Code, enabling the City of New York to transfer properties that have been the subject of an in rem action to third parties. Local Law 37 was critical to the City's Anti-Abandonment Program because it enabled troubled properties to be placed in the hands of new responsible private owners for rehabilitation and maintenance after previous owners refused to pay taxes and make necessary repairs.
However, the properties suitable for potential in rem ownership transfers would have placed the Department of Housing, Preservation and Development (HPD) in a difficult position of transferring more properties than it can accomplish, given the statutory time frame and limited resources.
Intro. 958 would permit the Department of Finance (DOF) and HPD to maintain a steady flow of in rem ownership transfers to match the availability of HPD's resources.
I wish to thank Housing and Buildings Committee Chair Archie Spigner and Council Member Antonio Pagan for sponsoring this legislation. Also, I wish to thank Acting Finance Commissioner Adam Barsky and HPD Commissioner Richard Roberts for their fine work.
For the reasons previously stated, I will now sign the bill.
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