Council Bill 967

Passed in December by NYC Council

Explanation:

Bell Park is referred to as a ‘Covered Building’. As under this bill, we will be subjected to an audit to determine our Energy Star Rating. The Energy Star Rating will reflect the current proposed bill set by the US Congress, aka, Cap and Trade Bill. Any existing building that performs the required retrofitting will receive this rating by the City of New York, or otherwise by the US Green Building Council (if this passes into law by Congress).

In order to receive an Energy Star Rating, owners (or shareholders in our case) would have to perform all the necessary retrofitting at our expense. We must be auditing first, inspected and within four years, make all the required alterations to our 50 buildings.

What’s to be expected?

Each apartment will be required to have its own thermostat.

Common area lighting (foyers and exterior) must meet NYC energy conservation code.

Low flow faucets and shower heads must be installed in all apartments.

All pipes must have insulation. Only applies to exposed pipes that convey heat or hot water.

Domestic hot water tanks must have built- in insulation.

Washing machines in common areas must be front loading.

All roofs must be retrofitted as ‘cool roofs’.

Any building that requires a complete overhaul, such as in the case of fire or other event, will be subject to new building codes.

There will be an inspection of existing building code requirements and if found to not be in compliance, those repairs will be required as well.

The Energy Star Rating is only good for ten years. Therefore, it will be necessary to repeat the process as stated above.

Effective immediately.

Our Board of Directors and Management do have copies of this bill. They are the ones we elected to act as representing agents of Bell Park. However, as a civic, it is also our responsibility to approach our elected officials and demand this bill be stopped. We simply cannot afford this. Our economy is struggling and we all have to make adjustments to our personal expenses. Raising our maintenance (starting in January 2010) was a necessary step our Board took. The maintenance we pay only covers the bills we currently have. We have openly complained, as we should. This is our money. Our Board is doing everything they can to keep our expenses to a minimum, while still providing us with a comfortable living arrangement (feel free to glance at our accounting books in the management office).

The NYC Council has passed this bill which is eerily similar to the one Congress is trying to pass, called the Cap and Trade. Once Cap and Trade becomes law, this bill will merge with it. Anyway you want to look at it we will be required to pay for it. Something to the tune of $200 per resident per month.

The BPMT Community Council is addressing this on the political level. We do not support this bill because we cannot afford it. We understand that some of the above stated items are intended to save us money in the long run but retrofitting our apartments and common areas simply cannot be done until our economy stabilizes itself.

We are not against the need to retrofit our homes, it’s just not coming at us in an adequate time.