Int. No. 624
By Council Members Marte, Ossé, Hanif, Won, Nurse, Gutiérrez and Sanchez
A Local Law in relation to requiring the department of city planning to conduct a study on hostile architecture
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Study on hostile architecture. a. Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
Agency. The term “agency” means a city, county, borough or other office, department, division, bureau, board or commission, or a corporation, institution or agency of government, the expenses of which are paid in whole or in part from the city treasury.
City. The term “city” means the city of New York.
Director. The term “director” means the director of city planning.
Hostile architecture. The term “hostile architecture” means an architectural design in which a public space is constructed or altered to guide or restrict public behavior, including, but not limited to, attributes designed or intended to prevent persons from sitting or lying on benches, planters, ledges, steps, platforms, fire hydrants or any other furniture, structure or surface at street level.
Relevant agencies. The term “relevant agencies” means the department of buildings, the department of parks and recreation, the department of transportation and any other agency that the director deems relevant.
b. Study and report. The director, in collaboration with the relevant agencies, shall conduct a study regarding hostile architecture in the city to analyze the extent of such architecture and to assess compliance with section 37-741 of the zoning resolution. Such study shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:
1. A list of each instance of hostile architecture in the city, by community district, with each separate row of the list referencing a unique instance of hostile architecture and providing the following information about such architecture set forth in separate columns:
(a) The agency with jurisdiction over such instance of hostile architecture;
(b) The type of hostile architecture; and
(c) The borough-block-lot number of the property where such architecture is located; and
2. An assessment of whether each public plaza, as defined section 12-10 of the zoning resolution, complies with section 37-741 of the zoning resolution relating to standards for seating within public plazas, which assessment shall include, but not be limited to, the following, if applicable:
(a) A list of the public plazas that do not comply with such provision, which shall include, but not be limited to, a description of each instance of non-compliance and the agency with jurisdiction over such public plaza;
(b) A description of the most frequent types of non-compliance with such provision;
(c) Any efforts made to ensure such public plazas comply;
(d) Any barriers that prevent such public plazas from being brought into compliance;
(e) The feasibility of bringing such public plazas into compliance and eliminating hostile architecture from such public plazas; and
(f) Any recommendations to improve compliance, including, but not limited to, a plan to replace any hostile architecture.
c. Report required. Within 18 months of the effective date of this local law, the commissioner, in collaboration with the relevant agencies, shall submit to the mayor and the speaker of the council a report summarizing the findings and recommendations of the study required by subdivision b of this section and shall post such report on the website of the department of city planning.
§ 2. This local law takes effect immediately.
NLB
LS #8363 9364
6/24/2022