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What Does the NYC Department of Buildings Do?

The city government of New York has several different departments focusing on different legal and social welfare subjects, and the Department of Buildings is one of these city government subgroups. But what does it do, and who needs to know about it? Learn more with this simple guide.

Basic Info About the NYC Department of Buildings

As the most populated city in the country, New York City has no shortage of buildings. Whether it's a historic brownstone or a brand-new high rise, every building in the city must adhere to safety standards and other regulations set by the Department of Buildings. Headed by a commissioner, the NYC building dept oversees the "safe and lawful use" of the city's buildings, including those under construction. This means that nearly everyone in the city, from renters to building owners and construction workers, has some connection to the Department of Buildings. Things like city construction codes and zoning rules, state building laws and even landlord-tenant laws can fall under the Department of Buildings' purview. The department's reach covers all five boroughs of NYC.

NYC Renters and the Department of Buildings

New York City has a range of comprehensive laws that protect tenant rights and define proper behavior for landlords. Anyone who rents an apartment or other space in NYC, including an entire building, can turn to the Department of Buildings for help or information in a situation where their landlord is behaving inappropriately. Landlords in NYC aren't allowed to harass their tenants, for example, and the Department of Buildings' website provides helpful information on what legally constitutes harassment. The Department of Buildings includes the Office of the Tenant Advocate, which focuses on providing support for tenants who live in an apartment building in which construction is taking place. Renters in New York who are dealing with other issues may be able to find other relevant city government departments via the Department of Buildings' website.

Online Department of Buildings Tools

The NYC Department of Buildings website has a number of helpful tools accessible to the general public and relevant primarily for people who work in building-related fields. These tools include a Building Information System query tool that allows people to look up specific buildings and find a record of things like code violations and inspections relating to that property. The website also has a list of city construction codes and other building-related codes that anyone can look through.

Public Events

In addition to providing online resources, the Department of Buildings also hosts some in-person events to support its work. These include a regular public meeting available to homeowners, tenants, building managers and business owners known as Homeowners Night. In spite of the name, anyone with a question relevant to the Department of Buildings can attend and ask questions of department staff. These meetings are held in local borough offices across the city.

Other Activities

The Department of Buildings is responsible for a range of other activities, including but not limited to safety training for the construction industry and an annual construction industry conference focused on safety. Anyone looking for permits to do construction work on an NYC office building or dwelling will need to work through the Department of Buildings as well.

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