DOB Announces Facade & Scaffold Safety Blitz

The sweeps will focus on approximately 1,100 sites performing facade work across New York City. On February 18, 2021, the Department of Buildings (DOB) announced the launch of a seven-week long facade and scaffold safety blitz. The campaign includes educational outreach to construction workers and other industry professionals and inspection sweeps of facade work sites citywide.


DOB Announces New Energy Efficiency Ratings Posting Requirements

Buildings will be graded on a scale of A to F. On September 8, 2020, the Department of Buildings announced that starting on October 30, 2020, all NYC Buildings 25,000 square feet or larger will be legally required to post energy efficiency letter grade signs at their entrances. Similar to restaurant health grade signs, these energy efficiency signs will create greater transparency for the public about how each building operates.


Buildings Releases Interactive Map on City’s Buildings and Construction Sites

The map provides a 12-month snapshot of building permits, complaints, inspections, violations, and accident reports for every property in the city. On March 8, 2019, Buildings released the DOB Buildings Profiles Map, a new, interactive map that provides insight into Buildings’ interactions with the nearly 1.1 million buildings and 45,000 active construction sites it regulates. The map is Buildings’ latest tool in a series of interactive dashboards, reports, and data tools to give the … <Read More>


Agencies Distribute Information on the Dangers of Illegally-Converted Apartments

As part of campaign, list of 10 dangers created to help residents before they rent an illegally converted apartment. On December 5, 2018, the Department of Buildings in conjunction with the New York City Fire Department announced a citywide campaign to educate both tenants and property owners on the dangers of illegally-converted apartment. Representatives from both agencies will be distributing flyers throughout the five boroughs over the next three week.


City Council Holds Rally, Public Hearing on Illegal Hotel Legislation

The proposed laws seek to enforce existing State regulations by increasing illegal hotel fines and reporting requirements.  On October 30, 2015, the City Council Committee on Housing and Buildings heard testimony on three proposed laws that seek to ramp up enforcement of state laws that prohibit the operation of illegal hotels.  The proposed legislation would regulate only those residential units located in multiple-dwelling buildings—not one- to four-family homes.  The proposed legislation is intended to address … <Read More>


BSA Upholds Buildings’ Rejection of Accessory Sign

Board rejected arguments an exterior building treatment did not qualify as an accessory sign under the Zoning Resolution.  On June 16, 2015 the Board of Standards and Appeals voted to uphold a Department of Buildings’ determination that a design treatment on the north face of a parking garage in the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan constituted an accessory sign in violation of local zoning.  The design treatment, on the north face of the garage … <Read More>