Audit of the New York City
Department of Housing Preservation and
Development's Enforcement of the
Housing Maintenance Code
The City of New York
Office of the Comptroller
Bureau of Audit
SUMMARY OF THE THREE CLASSES OF
HOUSING CODE VIOLATIONS
CLASS "A" NON-HAZARDOUS
Examples:
- No peephole in the entrance door of the dwelling unit;
- Keeping of pigeons, chickens, etc. unlawfully;
- Improper seat for a water closet;
- No street number on the front of the dwelling
CORRECTION & CERTIFICATION DATES
- Must be corrected 90 days from the mailing of the NOV.
- Certification of Correction is required 14 days after this Correction Date.
PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY
$10 to $50 per violation per day, from the required correction date until the violation is actually corrected.
CLASS "B" HAZARDOUS
Examples:
- Inadequate lighting facilities for public halls or stairs;
- Owner has not provided an approved smoke detector in dwelling unit;
- Unlawful bars or gates on windows opening to fire escapes
CORRECTION & CERTIFICATION DATES
- Must be corrected 30 days from the mailing of the NOV.
- Certification of correction is required five days after this Correction Date.
PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY
$25 to $100, plus $10 per day, from required correction date until the violation is actually corrected.
CLASS "C" IMMEDIATELY HAZARDOUS
Examples:
- Inadequate supply of heat and hot water
- Rodents
- Peeling lead paint in dwellings where a child under 7 resides
- Broken or defective plumbing fixtures*
- Defective plaster*
- Defective faucets
CORRECTION & CERTIFICATION DATES
- Must be corrected twenty four hours from the mailing of the NOV.
- Certification of correction is required five days after this Correction Date.
PENALTIES FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY
- $50 per violation per day for buildings with 5 or fewer units; $50 to $150 per violation, plus $125 per violation per day for buildings with more than five units;
- Heat and Hot Water Violations: $250 per violation per day;
- Illegal Device on Central Heating System: $25 per day or $1,000, whichever is more.
Sources: NYC Administrative Code §27-2001 through §27-2152, "Housing Maintenance Code; and a preprinted Notice of Violation used by HPD.
* These violations can be classified A, B, or C, depending upon the hazard of the conditions.