Former New York City Council member Eric Ulrich has been appointed as Commissioner of the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) by Mayor Eric Adams.

Ulrich will serve alongside Kazimir Vilenchik, the new First Deputy Commissioner, and replaces Gus Sirakis, who has been serving as the DOB’s Acting Commissioner for the past six weeks.  

“Our city and our economy cannot recover from the COVID-19 pandemic without a strong construction industry, and this team will deliver while prioritizing worker safety and customer service,” Adams said before thanking Sirakis for his service during the pandemic.

Ulrich comes to the job with a reputation for having played a critical role in New York’s post-Sandy recovery efforts through his role on the council’s Committee on Housing and Buildings. His initiative in that capacity to rezone vulnerable communities in the city affected by coastal flooding will inform it and other health and safety issues such as construction site safety and the advancement of new sustainability goals through the enforcement of Local Law 97 and other policies.

“From day one, Mayor Adams has made ‘Get Stuff Done’ the motto of his administration, and this is the spirit I bring to the Department of Buildings,” he said of his appointment. “I will be laser-focused on raising safety standards on job sites, delivering the customer service our city deserves, and making our building industry the most sustainable in the nation. I look forward to working collaboratively across the agency and with all of the stakeholders to move our city forward.”