Requires the installation of automatic sprinkler systems and emergency fire escapes in multi-family dwellings over two stories.
Summary
Bill A05797 mandates the installation of automatic sprinkler systems and emergency fire escapes in multi-family dwellings that are over two stories high. The bill applies to all such dwellings, regardless of their age or historical designation, ensuring that safety measures are uniformly enforced across various types of buildings. The legislation aims to enhance fire safety for residents by requiring these critical safety features to be installed on every floor level where people reside, excluding the first floor for emergency fire escapes.
Impact
If enacted, this bill will amend the executive law in New York, specifically Section 378, to enforce stricter safety regulations for multi-family dwellings. The requirement for automatic sprinkler systems and emergency fire escapes will likely lead to increased compliance costs for property owners, but it is intended to significantly improve fire safety standards and reduce the risk of fire-related injuries and fatalities in residential buildings.
Sentiment
The sentiment surrounding Bill A05797 appears to be cautiously supportive, as indicated by the committee's voting history where it passed with a majority in the Assembly Governmental Operations Committee. However, there are concerns regarding the financial implications for property owners, which may lead to some opposition among stakeholders in the real estate sector.
Contention
Notable points of contention include the potential financial burden on property owners to install these safety systems, particularly for older buildings that may not have been designed with modern safety standards in mind. Some committee members expressed concerns about the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of retrofitting existing structures with the required installations, while proponents argue that the safety benefits outweigh the costs.
Amends existing law to require certain heat detection devices in certain attached garages and to provide an exemption from a requirement of fire sprinklers for certain multiple-family dwellings with fire walls.
Creates shared housing rooming units in new class A multiple dwellings or buildings converted to class A multiple dwellings; creates new regulations in the New York city building codes.