Mayor Ups Penalties for Illegally Making Industrial Space a Home

Has Mayor Bloomberg finally gotten wind of all those folks using industrial buildings on the Williamsburg waterfront to live large?

Yesterday, the Mayor signed legislation that will increase the penalties for the illegal conversion into residences of buildings approved for industrial or manufacturing use.

Introductory Number 34-A says that anyone who illegally converts an industrial or manufacturing building into a residence could face up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine, according to a press release. For subsequent violations, the fines would increase to between $5,000 and $25,000.

In the press release, the Mayor enlightened the public as to what has been going on: “Landlords of some industrial spaces sometimes turn a blind eye on residential occupancies even when they know that this type of housing is both contrary to the City’s Zoning Resolution and Building Code."