What's happening
This bill requires public online reporting of New York City Housing Authority code violations and mandates annual audits of housing repairs.
Why it matters
Increased transparency and accountability. By requiring the same level of public reporting for NYCHA code violations as for private landlords, the bill exposes persistent problems in public housing and pressures NYCHA to address issues more promptly.
Empowers tenants and advocates. Easy online access to real-time violation data allows NYCHA residents, community advocates, and watchdog groups to track unresolved problems and push for solutions, strengthening tenant rights.
Regular oversight of repair quality. Mandating annual audits by the Comptroller ensures not just that repairs are reported, but that their completion and quality are independently verified—potentially reducing repeat violations and waste.
Public trust and policy evaluation. Making this information public helps policymakers and the public assess whether NYCHA is effectively maintaining its properties, which could influence future funding and reform efforts.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Publish NYCHA Code Violations
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
- Referred to housing, construction and community development
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Publish NYCHA Code Violations
In Assembly Committee · Housing · Sponsor Robert J. Rodriguez
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1846
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 16, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HOYLMAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Housing, Construction and Community Development
AN ACT to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to New York city housing authority code violations
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 27-2154 to read as follows:
§ 27-2154 Housing authority code violations. (a) The department of housing preservation and the department of buildings shall each maintain data on their respective websites recording open code violations in public housing developments owned by the New York city housing authority in the same manner as such departments maintain data recording open code violations of private entities.
(b) The website of the office of public advocate shall host and maintain a webpage recording and displaying all open code violations in public housing developments owned by the New York city housing authority.
§ 2. The administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 27-2129.2 to read as follows:
§ 27-2129.2 Comptroller audit. The comptroller shall conduct an annual audit of all repairs undertaken pursuant to article five of subchapter five of the housing maintenance code.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that section two of this act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03619-01-9
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to New York city housing authority code violations
Purpose
To shed light on the conditions of public housing in the city by requir- ing that data of outstanding code violations in public housing develop- ments be maintained in the same way that such data is maintained for privately owned housing.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 amends the administrative code of the city of New York so that the department of housing preservation and the department of buildings shall each maintain data on their websites of open code violations in public housing developments owned by the New York City Housing Authori- ty.
Section 2 states that the act shall take effect thirty days after it becomes law.
Justification
Private tenants in New York City can register complaints about condi- tions in their building by calling the "311" Citizen Service Center. The complaint is recorded and, if it is determined to be a housing code violation, that information is made available to the general public via Housing and Preservation and Department of Buildings databases for as long as it is outstanding. By contrast, when a tenant of a New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) housing development calls "311," they are directed to the Centralized Call Center. The Centralized Call Center, created by NYCHA, does not collect data on outstanding code violations.
There is little reason that NYCHA should be insulated from public accountability for outstanding code violations within its buildings. The practice of brushing outstanding code violations under the rug may save NYCHA some embarrassment, but it is counterproductive to NYCHA's duty to provide decent housing to low-income residents. Without record of outstanding code violations, community leaders and agency decision makers cannot know where resources are needed. To shed light on the conditions of public housing in the city, this bill requires that data on outstanding code violations in public housing developments be main- tained in the same way that such data is maintained for privately owned housing.
Prior legislative history
S.5030 of 2017-2018 (Hoylman): Died in Housing
S.5368 of 2015-2016 (Perkins): Died in Housing, Construction, and Commu- nity Development
A.3633 of 2015-2016 (Rodriguez): Died in Housing
Fiscal impact
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.