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Electric Micromobility Policy

Effective Date: March 1, 2024

NYCHA's rules and regulations concerning electric micromobility devices in public housing are intended to prevent fires and protect residents’ health and safety.  The rules and regulations also further the goals of Charge Safe, Ride Safe: New York City’s Electric Micromobility Action Plan, which uses a multifaceted approach to reducing fires while promoting safe use of electric micromobility (e-micromobility) devices.  

The public comment period for the proposed micromobility policy closed on December 31, 2023. NYCHA considered all feedback before implementing the final policy.

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Background and Purpose:

  • It is against the law to keep gasoline, other flammable liquid motor fuel, or internal-combustion vehicles or devices in a NYCHA apartment or in common areas of NYCHA buildings. Keeping gasoline, other flammable liquid motor fuel, or internal-combustion vehicles or devices in a NYCHA apartment or NYCHA building common area violates the lease, paragraphs 12(e), (f), (g), and (k); the New York City Fire Code; and the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law. Examples of internal-combustion vehicles are gas-powered scooters, mopeds, ATVs, and dirt bikes.

  • Residents with internal-combustion vehicles in NYCHA apartments or common areas must immediately remove the gas-powered vehicle. Any gasoline or other flammable liquid motor fuel kept in a NYCHA apartment or common area must also be removed and safely disposed of immediately. 
  • NYCHA’s home-based business policy prohibits home-based businesses that increase the risk of fire or explosion. Home-based businesses for repairing, charging, or storing e-bikes, e-scooters, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, or internal-combustion vehicles are therefore prohibited and constitute a lease violation. Learn more here. 
  • It is against NYCHA’s rules to use vehicles on sidewalks, internal roadways, or walkways, except for emergency vehicles and NYCHA-authorized vehicles (see Highlights of House Rules, Lease, Law, and NYCHA Policy #23). 
  • NYCHA’s rules (see Highlights of House Rules, Lease, Law, and NYCHA Policy #14) require proper maintenance of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, including but not limited to: 
    • Only charging the battery with the charger supplied with the device; 
    • Keeping the battery dry; 
    • Not opening the battery; and 
    • Not using the battery if it is damaged, leaking, hot, or produces an odor. 

  • It is illegal to place e-scooter or e-bike batteries in the trash or recycling, it can cause fires and harm NYCHA staff. Please visit the Department of Sanitation’s website to learn more about convenient battery drop-off locations,

  • Please refer to FDNY’s 2022-2023 Fire and Emergency Preparedness Bulletin, which NYCHA mailed to residents in January 2023, for additional safe charging and storage information:  FDNY’s guidance also includes looking for Underwriters Lab (UL) certification when purchasing electric bikes. In addition, local law prohibits the sale of lithium-ion batteries that have been refurbished or tampered with.

Electric Micromobility Rule:

  • It is a violation of your lease to keep or charge an electric micromobility (e-micromobility) vehicle or device that cannot be operated legally on New York City streets or in public areas or the battery of such a vehicle or device in a NYCHA apartment or in a common area of a NYCHA building. It is a violation of your lease to keep or charge any vehicle or device that requires New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) registration or requires a driver’s license to operate in a NYCHA apartment or in a common area of a NYCHA building. It is further a violation of your lease to keep or charge the battery of any vehicle or device that requires DMV registration or requires a driver’s license to operate in a NYCHA apartment or in a common area of a NYCHA building. These prohibited vehicles and devices include but are not limited to electric mopeds, large electric scooters weighing 100 pounds or more, electric motorcycles, gas-powered vehicles and devices, unregistered electric mopeds, electric dirt bikes, electric skateboards, Segways, electric hoverboards, electric unicycles, and electric all-terrain vehicles (ATV), and their batteries.
     
  • You may keep or charge bicycles with electric assist (e-bikes) and electric scooters (e-scooters) that may be operated legally on New York City streets or in public areas, as such vehicles or devices are described in state or local law, or the battery of such a vehicle or device. It is a violation of your lease to charge more than one e-bike, e-scooter, or its battery at a time in a NYCHA apartment; to charge an e-bike, e-scooter, or its battery without a person 18 years old or older present and awake in the apartment for the entire time the device or battery is charging; to charge an e-bike, e-scooter, or its battery in any manner other than plugging the charger directly into an electrical wall outlet; to keep or charge any lithium-ion battery that has been assembled, refurbished, or reconditioned in a way prohibited by local law; to charge any lithium-ion battery within five feet of a radiator or any other direct heat source; to charge any lithium-ion battery next to an apartment entrance door or any other place that could prevent escape in the event of a fire; or to charge an e-bike, e-scooter, or its battery in a common area unless such area is specifically designated as a charging area by NYCHA.  

Important Safety Reminders:

  • It is against the law to keep gasoline, other flammable liquid motor fuel, or internal-combustion vehicles or devices in a NYCHA apartment or in common areas of NYCHA buildings. Keeping gasoline, other flammable liquid motor fuel, or internal-combustion vehicles or devices in a NYCHA apartment or NYCHA building common area violates the lease, paragraphs 12(e), (f), (g), and (k); the New York City Fire Code; and the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law. Examples of internal-combustion vehicles are gas-powered scooters, mopeds, ATVs, and dirt bikes.

  • Residents with internal-combustion vehicles in NYCHA apartments or common areas must immediately remove the gas-powered vehicle. Any gasoline or other flammable liquid motor fuel kept in a NYCHA apartment or common area must also be removed and safely disposed of immediately. 
  • NYCHA’s home-based business policy prohibits home-based businesses that increase the risk of fire or explosion. Home-based businesses for repairing, charging, or storing e-bikes, e-scooters, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, or internal-combustion vehicles are therefore prohibited and constitute a lease violation. Learn more here. 
  • It is against NYCHA’s rules to use vehicles on sidewalks, internal roadways, or walkways, except for emergency vehicles and NYCHA-authorized vehicles (see Highlights of House Rules, Lease, Law, and NYCHA Policy #23). 
  • NYCHA’s rules (see Highlights of House Rules, Lease, Law, and NYCHA Policy #14) require proper maintenance of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, including but not limited to: 
    • Only charging the battery with the charger supplied with the device; 
    • Keeping the battery dry; 
    • Not opening the battery; and 
    • Not using the battery if it is damaged, leaking, hot, or produces an odor. 

  • It is illegal to place e-scooter or e-bike batteries in the trash or recycling, it can cause fires and harm NYCHA staff. Please visit the Department of Sanitation’s website to learn more about convenient battery drop-off locations,

  • Please refer to FDNY’s 2022-2023 Fire and Emergency Preparedness Bulletin, which NYCHA mailed to residents in January 2023, for additional safe charging and storage information:  FDNY’s guidance also includes looking for Underwriters Lab (UL) certification when purchasing electric bikes. In addition, local law prohibits the sale of lithium-ion batteries that have been refurbished or tampered with.