Soraya Ben-Habib was appointed 1st Deputy Commissioner in May 2000. Her duties and jurisdiction are to supervise and control the enforcement of the Zoning Ordinance, Building Codes and other laws, ordinances rules and regulations governing the construction, alteration, maintenance and demolition of buildings or structures and their premises.

The Deputy Commissioner is also responsible for controlling building or structure use, occupancy, safety and sanitary conditions and supervises their inspections. An essential part of Ms. Habib's function's is plan examining which is the review of architectural plans submitted with an application to obtain a building permit to insure compliance with all applicable codes and structural integrity.

Soraya graduated in 1983 from New York Institute of Technology receiving a Bachelor of Architecture. She was previously employed in an architectural firm based in Hempstead, Long Island that specialized in hi-rise buildings and senior citizen facilities.

Ms. Ben-Habib has been an active participant in the development of Mount Vernon. As a project manager for a major architectural and construction firm based in Mount Vernon, she has been involved in residential and commercial developments that have been constructed in the city.