Tony Avella, a Queens City Council member has recently brought a proposal before the city legislation to create an official, deputized group of neghborhood volunteers to assist with the reporting of building code violations.

The program would provide training to the volunteers so that they would be able to issue violation notices for common problems such as illegal dumping and inadequate safety fencing around work areas.

Any violations issued by a trained volunteer would be presented in an affidavit and carry the same weight as any violation issued by an official city inspector.

Mr. Avella's goal is to send a strong message to the unscrupulous developers in the city.

Source: The Brooklyn Daily Eagle