A Matter of Life and Death: Improving Fire Safety in Federally Assisted Housing (EventID=114634) скачать в хорошем качестве

A Matter of Life and Death: Improving Fire Safety in Federally Assisted Housing (EventID=114634)

Connect with the House Financial Services Committee Get the latest news: https://democrats-financialservices.h... Follow us on Facebook:   / housefinancialcmte   Follow us on Twitter:   / fscdems   ___________________________________ On Wednesday, April 20, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. (ET) Housing, Community Development and Insurance Subcommittee Chairman Cleaver and Ranking Member Hill will host a hybrid field hearing entitled, “A Matter of Life and Death: Improving Fire Safety in Federally Assisted Housing." ___________________________________ Witnesses for this two-panel hearing will be: Panel 1 • Adolfo Carrion, Commissioner for Enforcement and Neighborhood Services, NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development • Sandra Clayton, former resident of Twin Parks North West • Vanessa Gibson, Bronx Borough President • Laura Kavanagh, Commissioner of the New York City Fire Department • RuthAnne Visnauskas, Commissioner and CEO, New York State Homes and Community Renewal Panel 2 • Alicka Ampry-Samuel, Regional Administrator, Region II, Department of Housing and Urban Development • Ashley Sheriff, Acting Deputy Assistant, Real Estate Assessment Center, Department of Housing and Urban Development ___________________________________ Overview Apartment Fire at Twin Parks North West On January 9, 2022, a fire broke out at the Twin Parks North West apartment building, taking the lives of 17 Bronx residents in what was New York City’s deadliest fire in three decades. All the victims, including 8 children, were determined to have died from smoke inhalation. The 19-story apartment building includes 120 units, and the rents of 91 were assisted with Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs)— 15 of which were tenant-based voucher administered by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) and the New York Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) and 76 of which were project-based vouchers administered by New York State Homes and Community Renewal (HCR). The New York Fire Department reports the fire was caused by a malfunctioning space heater and has identified malfunctioning self-closing doors as a key factor in the loss of life and significant building damage. According to New York City Fire Commissioner Daniel Nigro, “As [residents] left, they opened the door, and the door stayed open,” allowing smoke to travel throughout the building and creating deadly conditions. The City of New York reports that HPD coordinated with the building owner, the American Red Cross, HCR, and relevant agencies to assist displaced residents with temporary and long-term housing. Families with HCVs living in Twin Parks North West who were affected by the fire were eligible to relocate with continued tenant-based assistance, if they choose, and were provided funds to help with moving costs, including security deposits and other moving expenses. HPD had issued at least two violation notices for faulty self-closing doors at the property in 2017 and 2019, but no self-closing door infractions had been issued to the high-rise since those violations were corrected. HPD conducts Federal Housing Quality Standards inspections at the development for the two apartment buildings that house families with HCVs, most recently in March 2021, but reports that no self closing door violations were issued as a result of the most recent inspection. More than 22,000 self-closing door violation notices were issued throughout New York City for other properties in the 2021 fiscal year. Federal law does not limit the ability of local jurisdictions to implement or enforce more stringent laws or standards related to fire prevention and safety, and in addition to applicability of federal law, self-closing doors are required in all residential buildings in New York City as part of the New York City Housing Maintenance Code. The fire in the Bronx occurred within a week of a separate fire in public housing that occurred on January 4, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and claimed the lives of 12 residents, 8 of whom were children. The property received a failing Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) score in its last inspection in 2017. A subsequent investigation by the Philadelphia Fire Department, working in collaboration with other federal and local agencies, identified fire safety concerns including non functioning smoke alarms in the unit where the fire occurred. There were no sprinklers in the units, which are not required under federal law due to the building pre-dating The Fire Administration Authorization Act of 1992... Hearing page: https://democrats-financialservices.h...