Violations

DOF Begins ECB Judgment Amnesty Program

September 23, 2016    

The Department of Finance (DOF) has officially launched the “Forgiving Fines: ECB Amnesty Program.” The program started on Sept. 12, 2016, and continues through Dec. 12, 2016. Local Law 45, which was signed by Mayor de Blasio in April, authorized the DOF to create this program for...

Check Whether DOB Violation Was Properly 'Served' on You

November 24, 2015    

When the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB) hits you with a violation, it must first deliver a violation notice to you. There are some strict rules the DOB must follow in this delivery, which is legally known as “service” of the notice. Sometimes, though, the DOB makes...

Higher Penalties for Heat and Hot Water Violations Go into Effect

June 30, 2012    

In early 2011, city council members toughened penalties on owners who violate the city's heat laws, by breaking the economic incentives for building owners who withhold heat and hot water from tenants. At the time of its passage, city records showed that more than 114,000 New Yorkers filed...

Cure Violations for Upcoming MBR Cycle for Rent-Controlled Apartments

May 19, 2011    

It's not too soon for owners of buildings that contain rent-controlled units to begin preparing for the upcoming 2012-2013 maximum base rent (MBR) cycle. The Division of Housing and Community Renewal (DHCR) has recently released the 2012-2013 MBR forms. The forms that need to be filed...

Handling Illegal Conversion Violations, Improving Tenant Safety

December 28, 2009    

According to a report by the Pratt Center for Community Development, there are more than 100,000 units of illegally converted housing in the city. And Queens has the highest concentration of any borough, with 48,000 illegal apartments. An illegal conversion is the creation of one or more...

How to Respond to ECB Violation for Working Without a Permit

November 29, 2008    

If a New York City agency such as the Department of Buildings (DOB) believes that you have violated one of the city's laws, the agency will issue you a Notice of Violation (NOV) that summarizes the charge and tells you what to do next.