City’s Get Sheds Down plan aims to crack down on sidewalk scaffolding
Officials say there is approximately 400 miles of scaffolding scattered across the city.
Mayor Eric Adams and the city’s Department of Buildings are cracking down on property owners who leave scaffolding up for extended periods of time.
The “Get Sheds Down” plan includes incentivizing property owners to expedite repairs and take down scaffolding as soon as possible. The city will also increase oversight and force owners to renew permits more often. The mayor said the city will promote more visually appealing alternatives to the construction sheds, such as netting.
Officials say there is approximately 400 miles of scaffolding scattered across the city.
“They’ve stolen our public space because it made more financial sense to leave the sheds up than fix the façade,” said Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright. “Those days are over.”
The plan also includes pushing legislation that would impose monthly fines of up to $6,000 for property owners who purposely leave scaffolding up unnecessarily. Those fines could go up to $10,000 in some specific business districts, such as Downtown Brooklyn and Grand Concourse in the Bronx.
The mayor says they are planning to provide financial help to small property owners who genuinely cannot afford to speed up the work.
