As we are all aware, the President’s Co-op & Condo Council has been a leading advocate for Co-op/Condo Homeowners regarding the passage and implementation of the Climate Mobilization Act (Local Law 97). As part of the PCCC’s continuing efforts to blunt the potentially devastating impact of Local Law 97, PCCC co-President Bob Friedrich and Legal Advisor Geoffrey Mazel testified at the recent New York City Department of Building (DOB) Local Law 97 Proposed Rules Hearing on November 9, 2022.
The purpose of this hearing was to put the DOB on notice of what proposed rules and regulations would be helpful in the implementation of Local Law 97 from the perspective of our Community. We have met with several members of the Local Law 97 Rules Committee, and the Co-op Community’s interests have not been adequately represented. We are trying to add our voices to the conversation.
The main points the PCCC leaders brought up were :
1) a building located on a campus environment, such as a garden apartment, has its open space factored into its carbon output calculation:
2) the residents’ average median income be considered when assessing whether a good faith effort has been made ( for example a building where the median income is $500,000.00 has the wherewithal to do more work than one where the median income is $100,000);
3) solar energy generated by a Coop building be counted towards the reduction of carbon emissions;
4) be flexible on a one size fits all approach and look at the progress a building has made in reducing carbon emissions, even if they fail to reach the statutory goals; and
5) prior retrofits, including recent gas conversions should be considered in a hardship application.
In addition, Mr. Friedrich’s testimony was picked up by local media.