(good article!) Reconstructing New York’s Building Code Overhaul

This is the article about the building cord written in 2007.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg propsed a massive overhaul of the city's building code, the first in nearly 40 years in 2007.

Under the proposed regulations, for example, all new buildings over 55 feet tall, which would include the Bronx home, would be required to have a more fire-resistant stairway, automatic sprinkler systems, and hardwired smoke alarms that sound in every room.
Also still there are issue of cost of construction and in turn, increase the cost of housing.

link.
http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/issueoftheweek/20070514/200/2181