September 2023 Bulletin to Property Owners

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Dear Property Owners,

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) periodically provides updates on new legislation and information on available materials and resources to residential building owners to support compliance with the New York City Housing Maintenance Code, the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law and other relevant city codes. Visit the HPD website to read this bulletin (and past bulletins) in other languages.

This publication is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. This information is not a complete or final statement of all the duties of owners and tenants regarding laws and rules relating to housing in New York City.

Reminder

Property Registration Is Mandatory and is Now Overdue

Property owners who are required to register should submit their registration as soon as possible. Annual Registration was due by September 1st.  If you are not registered, you will not be allowed to certify the correction of violations, file for a Dismissal Request or initiate litigation in Housing Court.   Registration forms have been sent to the address on file for each property and are also available through the Property Registration Online System (PROS). Do not forget to make any appropriate changes, print, sign, and date the form and mail it to HPD’s Property Registration Post Office Box:  HPD – Church Street Station – P.O. Box 3888 – New York, NY  10008-3888 as instructed on the form.  Payments should be sent directly to the Department of Finance (DOF).   Please do not send payments to HPD as this will delay the processing of your registration. 

If you need assistance with registering your property, go to HPD’s webpage or please reach out to the Registration Assistance Unit via email (Register@hpd.nyc.gov) or telephone (212-863-7000). We are also offering extended appointment hours via our web scheduler.  To make an appointment, visit Registration Inquiries (timetap.com) 

Common Areas

Property owners are responsible for ensuring that building common areas are safe and well maintained in accordance with the Housing Maintenance Code (HMC) and the Multiple Dwelling Law (MDL). Common areas are defined as portions of a multiple dwelling that is not within a dwelling unit and is regularly used by occupants for access to and egress from any dwelling unit within such multiple dwelling.  
Here are a few of those responsibilities, highlighted for you to make sure you are in compliance:

General cleanliness – Areas should be kept free of debris and garbage.

  • General cleanliness – Areas should be kept free of debris and garbage.
  • Garbage disposal – Maintain garbage in secure containers to reduce pest problems.
  • Stairway maintenance – Keep steps and handrails in good condition.  Intact steps and proper handrails are required. 
  • Window Guards: If a child under 11 lives in the building, property owners are required to install window guards in all common areas windows in addition to the windows in the child’s apartment.
  • Lead-based paint: In the common areas of a building built prior to 1960 where a child under age 6 resides or built prior to 1978 and the owner has actual knowledge of the presence of lead-based paint, the owner must conduct an investigation for peeling paint, chewable surfaces, deteriorated subsurface, friction surfaces and impact surfaces in the common areas annually or more often if necessary. Owners must take appropriate action to ensure peeling paint and deteriorated surfaces are properly remediated or abated.
  • Self-Closing Doors - All doors in public areas must be self-closing.  This typically includes the building entrance doors, fire/smoke doors, fire stair doors, fire tower doors, bulkhead doors, rubbish chute closet doors, hopper doors, and other doors accessing the public hall/Stairs (building commercial space, garage area, etc.).
  • Signage: The HMC and MDL require signage to be posted, most commonly at a public area near the mailboxes, at buildings.  A list of all required signage can be found at www.nyc.gov/hpd.
  • Egress:  Roof doors must be accessible, there must not be encumbrances in hallways or stairways or fire passageways, appropriate exit signage must be posted, and fire escapes/sprinkler systems must be maintained in proper working order.  

Proactive Self-Closing Door Inspection Program

Under Local Law 71 of 2022, HPD has selected 300 buildings for proactive inspections that will begin within the next few weeks and end on June 30, 2024. The selection of buildings and inspections will be performed annually.  HPD will attempt to inspect all doors which are required to be self-closing in these buildings.  Where doors are noncompliant, appropriate violations will be issued. The last registered managing agent will be notified at the appropriate address provided on the property registration if your building is included in the program. If you are not properly registered, you may miss this notice. For more information on the selection criteria for this program, you can see Final Rules - HPD (nyc.gov). As a reminder, self-closing door violations must be corrected within 14 days and HPD  will reinspect to confirm correction within 20 days of the correction date. When owners do not correct these violations and certify them timely as corrected, HPD's Emergency Repair Program will attempt to make the repairs.

Download the Keeping Homes Fire Safe Flyer

HEAT Season is Coming: Boiler Inspections: Department of Buildings (DOB)

The Department of Buildings (DOB) Boiler Unit regulates the installation, maintenance and operation of boilers and fuel oil storage installations within the City of New York.   Property owners are responsible for ensuring that their boilers operate safely and in compliance with the NYC Construction Codes and other applicable rules and regulations.  

Building owners are responsible to provide adequate heat between October and May each year.  Failure to do so may lead to NYC Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) violations, inspection fees, civil penalties and/or inclusion in its Heat Sensors Program. 

We strongly encourage you to conduct mandatory annual inspections of your boilers as required and ensure that your boilers are legally maintained in accordance with manufacturer instructions to ensure that heat is adequately provided.  

NYC Boiler Inspection Cycle - January 1 to December 31. 
Low and High-Pressure Boiler Internal and External Inspections must be performed and reports filed with the DOB every year.  Please visit  DOB’s Boiler Compliance page for important information on DOB’s boiler inspection and reporting requirement regulations. 

  • High and Low Pressure Boiler Inspections
  • Test Appointments
  • Filing, Fees and penalties
  • Resolving Boiler Violations

Contact the Boiler Division:
280 Broadway, 1st Floor Atrium
New York, NY 10007
Hotline (for non-technical questions) 
(212) 393-2661 or www.nyc.gov/dobhelp
Business Hours:  Mondays – Fridays, 8:30 a.m.  – 4:00 p.m.

Boiler Technical Unit (for First Test Appointment or other technical boiler-related questions or issues) (212) 393-2784
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (Monday-Friday)
For technical questions: Email:  BoilerTechnical@buildings.nyc.gov

ADDITIONAL NYC RESOURCES ON BOILERS
Read DOB’s FAQs for answers to common questions people have about boilers and violations
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Boiler Registration Renewal: (718) 595-3855
Boiler Complaints:  Visit 311 Online or call 311