Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Borough Based Jails Capital topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council presses DOC on capital waivers and timelines for Bellevue therapeutic beds, borough jails commissioning
Summary
Council members pressed DOC on capital project waivers tied to the planned closure of Rikers, the department's use of DCAS waivers, and why three new therapeutic bed facilities remain uncommissioned months after construction completion.
Council members asked DOC officials to explain why completed therapeutic units and other capital work have not been commissioned as the city advances borough‑based jails and plans to close Rikers Island.
DOC’s capital program is dominated by the borough‑based jail (BBJ) commitment, which the department said in testimony totals about $13.9 billion over the 10‑year plan and is allocated across four borough facilities (Brooklyn $2.3 billion, Manhattan $4.1 billion, Bronx $3.1 billion and Queens $4.0 billion). Council members pressed DOC on major repairs and asked whether DOC has used five‑year lifespan waivers — which can allow capital spending on facilities approaching planned closure — and where those waivers are filed. DOC said it has applied for waivers to DCAS and said the comptroller waiver route had not been their typical approach.
Council members focused particular scrutiny on three capital projects meant to support people with serious behavioral health needs. DOC said Bellevue therapeutic beds (104 beds) have reached substantial completion and hold temporary certificates of occupancy, but the State Commission of Correction (SCOC) requires additional construction fixes and policy approvals before final commissioning. Deputy commissioner testimony detailed outstanding construction items — e.g., change to detention‑grade fixtures and glazing at staff stations — and said staff training and approved policies remain prerequisites for SCOC signoff.
Council members and advocates said the city should provide clearer, itemized timelines for completing outstanding construction work and getting SCOC approval. DOC said SCOC visits the site monthly and had conducted a walk‑through about two weeks before the hearing; the department said it will provide a list of outstanding items and send a revised staffing plan to the state for commissioning approval.
Why it matters: Council members emphasized that completed facilities that are not staffed or commissioned are missed public investments and that delays reduce the city's ability to place people into appropriate therapeutic placements and relieve pressure on existing jails.
Ending: Members asked DOC for a follow‑up with a list of outstanding construction items, the dates and outcomes of recent SCOC inspections, and the department’s revised staffing and commissioning timelines for Bellevue and the other therapeutic units.
