Local Law 97 is about to go into effect and the mayor is pushing City of Yes. Both initiatives would require more enforcement by the Department of Buildings. However, in May, DOB Commissioner James Oddo told the NYC Council that the agency’s headcount has dwindled. According to Crain’s, “The wait time for construction inspections grew from 1.2 to 3 days during the first four months of the current fiscal year, and the time it took to respond to non-emergency complaints increased from 10.5 to 12.5 days.” They also pointed out, “Between July 2023 and January 2024, 175 people left the agency — a 68% increase from pre-pandemic attrition levels, according to a recent report by the state comptroller’s office.” City of Yes should be rejected based on this alone. If DOB can’t handle what’s on its plate now, why overwhelm them with more work?