Commissioner of Permits and Inspections Cathy Amdur came to the Caucus Meeting to present the department’s annual report on the Proactive Rental Inspections (PRIs) program. PRIs are just that: regular checks done on apartments every three years rather than waiting for reports of problems from tenants. These have been required by city law for all investor-owned single and double-unit rentals since 2020. PPG filed a lawsuit in 2024 against the department for failing to implement the PRI program. Caucus members sent this report to the Community Development Committee.

The Permits and Inspections Department also wants to see some city permit prices raised, including for restaurants, collection agencies, and parking lot fees. This will be discussed at the upcoming Legislation Committee meeting.

Council members expressed surprise upon learning that the city is paying a consultant $880,000 to help plan repairs at the Naval Park.

Members of the East Side Parkways Coalition were out en masse for the Regular Meeting, where an item about their campaign was moved to next week’s Community Development Committee for discussion. Legislator Betty-Jean Grant and Candice Moppins, the director of the Delevan-Grider Community Center, had submitted a letter asking council members for the chance to speak at the committee meeting. East Side Parkways Coalition would like the Kensington Expressway to be restored to its original vision as a healthy, green, and beautiful parkway.

Niagara District Council Representative Rivera submitted a letter asking for the new Police Commissioner, Alphonso Wright, to come address the Police Oversight Committee. Rivera wants to ask Wright about the possible cover-up, by the Buffalo police and the Erie County Sheriff’s departments, of a crash involving the county’s narcotics chief. The meeting will be on April 17th at 11am.

The council approved funds for the construction of the police department’s new shooting and training facility, with only Council Member Wyatt voting against it.