Jersey City Mayor Proposes New Legislation To Increase High-Rise Safety Requirements
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The deadly building collapse in Florida has led the mayor of Jersey City to consider increased safety measures for his city's high-rise buildings, but some residents still feel their safety is at risk.
Mayor Steven Fulop announced a new proposal to re-examine building inspection policies for high-rises after the tragic and deadly apartment collapse in Surfside, Florida.
The initiative, according to the city, would "ensure buildings are adequately maintained and structurally sound."
"I found that it was targeting more the upper wealthy classes of the city," one Jersey City resident said. "My building is four stories, so it would not be covered by that ordinance."
She showed CBS2's Cory James pictures of her building that point out what she believes illustrate structural deterioration.
"The building is settling, and as a result, you're seeing cracks in the walls," she said.
But if City Council approves the current proposal, her building could be overlooked.
Right now, the suggested enhanced mandates would require structural inspections by a licensed engineer every 10 years on concrete buildings with more than six stories. Façade inspections would happen every five years on buildings with more than six stories or buildings with masonry facades that have at least four stories.
"The proposal, I feel, is very disappointing," said Rodolfo Santos, with Jersey City Tenants United, a tenant advocacy group.
He believes what the city is proposing shines light on a larger issue.
"Unfortunately, it's going to be the historically disenfranchised that suffer the worst," he said.
Brenna Thompson agrees. She says she recently moved to Massachusetts and out of her Jersey City five-story building that she felt was not structurally sound.
"It's kind of insulting because it's like, oh, we want to help Jersey city, but you don't care about the people who don't live in the expensive apartments or the nice apartments," she said.
CBS2 reached out to Jersey City officials for comment but were told no one was available for an interview. Our request for a statement in response to concerns some residents brought up was not returned.
The legislation will go before Jersey City's municipal council at the next city council meeting set for July 14.
