Building Inspection Commission hears staffing, technology and enforcement updates amid public criticism

The Building Inspection Commission (BIC) convened after the Abatement Appeals Board and spent much of its session on operational updates, staffing constraints and technology projects while taking several pointed public comments.

Deputy Director Ed Sweeney said the department had focused on reducing a backlog of older notices of violation, moving about 2,000 lower‑priority complaints and increasing director’s hearings. Chief Housing Inspector Rosemarie Boske reported housing open cases dropped from roughly 4,891 to 3,359 since March, and that staff had increased billing for focused cases — billing rose from approximately $126,538 to $311,000 for a recent period, reflecting a 146% increase. Sweeney and Boske said more director’s hearings were scheduled and that the department expected to add inspectors after pending civil‑service exams and recruitment steps.

Commissioners pressed staff on capacity: several noted that while permit counts were stable the permit valuation on active projects had risen and urged monitoring of inspection and plan‑check capacity as large projects were processed. Staff warned that some requisitions had been temporarily held centrally during citywide placement work for redeployment agency employees but said they expected hiring to resume in coming months.

On technology, IS project director Jimani Canty reported the permit‑tracking system had finished core configuration and moved into the build phase; a citizen advisory group (15–20 members) would be convened to provide user acceptance testing and feedback in early 2013. Other projects in progress included expanded 3R email delivery, a cash‑management rollout tied to the tax collector’s November go‑live, field tablets for inspectors under evaluation and server‑room work.

In public comment, a longtime DBI employee, Spencer Gosch, accused the department of corruption and alleged discriminatory and political behavior within hiring and promotions. Other public speakers defended staff’s performance or asked the commission to take interest in specific retaining‑wall or plan‑review cases. Commissioners thanked staff for responsiveness and asked for follow‑up items including statistics on repeat violators and a possible update from DHR on hiring holds.

Legislation and other items: Legislative staff said permit‑extension legislation was expected to reach the Land Use Committee in November; amendments to the apartment‑conversion ordinance (Chapter 41A) had passed second reading and were expected to be signed by the Mayor. Commissioners also discussed an employee‑recognition pilot (an employee‑of‑the‑month/quarter leading to employee‑of‑the‑year) and asked staff to return with program parameters.

Next steps: Staff will continue to prioritize director’s hearings, provide requested statistics on repeat violators and coordinate with DHR on recruitment timelines. The commission scheduled its next meeting for Nov. 21 and a litigation subcommittee meeting for Nov. 20.