Eric Adams Declares War On Unsightly Scaffolding With “Get Sheds Down” Initiative

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has declared war on construction scaffolding with his “Get Sheds Down” initiative. During a July 24 press conference held with Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Jimmy Oddo, Adams elaborated on why he believes a crusade against the sheds is long overdue.

“They block the sunlight, keep pedestrians away from businesses, and are a magnet for illegal activity,” Adams insisted.

Drawing upon his experience as a veteran of the police force, Adams asserted the need to “regain control of our city streets.” In a clever analogy, he likened the resilience of these sheds to the notorious tenacity of rats in New York, a clear reference to his other heavily promoted rodent extermination initiative.

Adams concluded that a “forced choice between safety and scenery” was no longer tenable for him, instructing his audience to imagine “visiting Rome, Tokyo, or Rio and seeing scaffolding everywhere. New Yorkers wouldn’t be happy with these unsightly constructions in other cities, and we shouldn’t be ok with them here at home.”

“Get Sheds Down” is essentially a promise to neuter the bureaucracy for phasing out scaffolding, by “incentivizing” the business owners that maintain them to take them down.

Commissioner Oddo further emphasized this rationale. “When owners leave up a gloomy pipe and plywood shed for years, while repair work stagnates, they create a tangible negative impact affecting the whole block. This comprehensive plan will compel building owners to make needed repairs so sheds can be removed more quickly — improving public safety while also transforming how we think about pedestrian protection in our city,” he said.

In practice, this means that updated financial penalties and regulations against business owners will initially be put in place for only one business district per borough.

The DOB interestingly notes that sidewalk sheds are mandated by their Façade Inspection and Safety Program, which entails that buildings higher than six stories must submit technical reports on the state of their exterior walls every five years; if defects are found, a shed to insure pedestrian safety must be implemented. The apparent problem for Adams and the DOB is that these sheds tend to languish past their sell-by date.

How will building owners in need of facade work replace scaffolding? The New York City Department of Citywide Administrative Services has an ideal solution: introducing innovative safety netting, which will be piloted for ongoing projects, such as the restoration work at the Queens Country Supreme Court. Additionally, a low-interest loan program, inspired by the successful Small Business Opportunity Fund, will be available to support repair efforts.

The initiative strikes a balanced approach, offering carrots and enforcing compliance in equal measure. Owners that fail to complete the required repairs (that necessitated the shed) within 24 months may face substantial $10,000 fines. Furthermore, penalties will be imposed for sheds deemed unnecessary for construction or repairs that obstruct the public’s right of way, with the first levy taking effect after 90 days.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine seemed thrilled by this package. “The reforms the mayor is pursuing are an exciting step towards ensuring that sheds are up only as long as they need to be to keep New Yorkers safe,” he said, adding that “strategies like allowing design changes, increasing enforcement and civil penalties, encouraging buildings to make progress on façade repair, and exploring low-interest loans for buildings in need will make a difference.”