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For Immediate Release
August 9, 2016

BUILDINGS DEPT. LAUNCHES DOB NOW PROGRAM TO MODERNIZE AGENCY

NEW YORK – Today, the New York City Department of Buildings announced the launch of DOB NOW, a program to modernize the agency’s operations that will soon allow the public to do all business with the Department online.

When fully implemented, DOB NOW will enable:

Online filing of building and construction permits;

Real-time tracking of applications, with automated alerts to applicants when DOB takes action;

Online meetings with agency staff; and

Printing of permits from home or the office, without needing to visit DOB in person.

Please click here for further details on the new program. DOB NOW is the result of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s call for fundamental reform of the Buildings Department. The Mayor has invested $120 million in additional funding for the agency to carry out initiatives such as DOB NOW and to hire hundreds of new staff members – with the goal of better addressing safety lapses at construction sites and reviewing building applications more quickly.

"Last spring, I called for fundamental reform of the Buildings Department to make the agency more efficient, effective, and transparent. DOB NOW is a result of this effort. The program will not only offer the public a far more user-friendly experience, but it will also help DOB perform a wide range of tasks, from critical functions like addressing safety lapses at construction sites, to routine items such as issuing licenses and permits,” said Mayor de Blasio.

“Modernizing DOB will not only make dealing with the city’s bureaucracy less aggravating -- it offers a unique opportunity to boost our economy and create the housing, jobs, and infrastructure upon which 8.5 million New Yorkers depend. With DOB NOW, New Yorkers will be able to track every step of our work, often in real time. If you hire an architect, engineer, plumber, or other professional, you’ll be able to track their work, too. We want New Yorkers to have more access to our records so they can help hold us and everyone in the construction industry accountable,” said Buildings Commissioner Rick D. Chandler, PE.

The first phase of DOB NOW, entitled DOB NOW: Build, will allow online filing of applications for plumbing and sprinkler jobs. Additional functions -- for example, façade compliance filings, license issuances, and eventually applications for entire new buildings -- will be transferred to DOB NOW throughout the next two years. By 2018, the system will be completed and it will serve as the entry point for all DOB transactions.

“DOB Now will make a sometimes confusing and time-consuming process easier to navigate for the average person. A fully-functioning online system will save time, money and encourage more people to hold the Department of Buildings and their contractors accountable for their work,” said Council Member Jumaane D. Williams.

"Of all the NYC agency websites, DOB’s is among the most transparent. The Mayor's investment in DOB inspectors and improved digital infrastructure with "real time" information will help residents and building owners alike," said Council Member Helen Rosenthal.

“DOB NOW is a welcomed upgrade that will help New Yorkers to more efficiently stay on top of the building application, construction and maintenance process,” said John H. Banks, III, President of the Real Estate Board of New York. “We look forward to the full implementation of the new platform, which will provide tools to further ensure the safety of our buildings and improve operations towards building more critically needed housing.”

"Building off of the success of the HUB and online inspections, DOB NOW will make construction in New York City more transparent and more efficient for the development community and all New Yorkers," said William C. Rudin, Chairman of the Association for a Better New York. "We applaud DOB's commitment to improved service and shortening the construction timeline to allow businesses to open up faster, New Yorkers to move into homes quicker, and for our institutions and facilities to serve our communities better."

“DOB Now promises to streamline the process of moving projects through the department, which will translate into more efficient, cost effective development of our built environment,” said Kathryn Wylde, President and CEO, Partnership for New York City.

“We’re pleased that DOB is working to make it easier to file permits and to give our members real-time information about construction jobs, which are the engine of our city’s economy. BTEA members are looking forward to these long-overdue steps to streamline the construction process in New York City,” said Louis J. Coletti, Building Trades Employers’ Association President and CEO.

“On behalf of the professional engineering community, ACEC New York strongly supports the DOB and Commissioner Chandler’s DOB NOW initiative to modernize the submitting and processing of applications to the Department of Buildings. The use of technology to streamline the approval process will help us all work together to meet the needs of our growing city and shows great leadership in this important area.” said Jay Simson, President, American Council of Engineering Companies of New York.

Contact: Alexander Schnell (212) 393-2126
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