“The final bill before me is Introductory Number 87-A, sponsored by Council Members Mark-Viverito, Reyna, Brewer, Chin, James, Lander, Williams, Vacca, Foster, Dromm, Jackson, Barron, Levin and Gennaro.  Introductory Number 87-A improves transparency and enhances accountability of the process by which corporations register multiple dwellings they own with the Department of Housing Preservation & Development (HPD).

“The Multiple Dwelling Registration System was created by HPD to ensure that owners of multiple dwellings – and certain one and two family homes – provided the Department with their most current contact information – including their names, business and residential addresses, and telephone numbers – on an annual basis.  The Multiple Dwelling Registration System is designed to give HPD and tenants information to contact landlords in instances of Housing and Maintenance Code violations, complaints, litigation proceedings or emergencies.

“Quite frequently, property in New York City is owned by a corporation, and under the current system, all named officers must register with HPD.  Introductory Number 87-A expands the registration requirement to include the names and business addresses for all shareholders that own at least 25% of the corporation.  In addition, Introductory Number 87-A prohibits the registration of a post office box or any other mail handling service as the only business address.

“The primary goal of the Multiple Dwelling Registration System is to get all property owners to comply with the law and register with the Department.  Full compliance is a means to enforce landlord accountability, which, in turn, can help ensure tenants’ units are properly maintained and that complaints and violations are quickly addressed and remediated.

“I would like to thank HPD Commissioner Rafael Cestero and his staff for their work on this bill along with my Office of City Legislative Affairs.  I would also like to thank the City Council for approving this legislation.”