State Senator Elijah Reichlin-Melnick (D-Rockland/Westchester) said, “I applaud the Department of State’s decision to put Rockland County in charge of building and fire code enforcement in the Village of Spring Valley. Taking away control from a local government is never a step that should be taken lightly, but the pattern of behavior and events in Spring Valley shows that the status quo posed a clear risk to the health and safety of residents and first responders, as incidents including the deadly Evergreen Court Adult Home fire and recent indictments made by District Attorney Walsh have made very clear.”
“I was proud to support recent laws to strengthen code enforcement in New York State, and I will be working with my Senate and Assembly colleagues to continue to find new ways to hold building owners accountable for their part in keeping the public safe.”