N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2056.14
Inspections by Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and removal of health code violations by Department of Housing Preservation and Development (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. Whenever a report has been made to the department of health and mental hygiene of a person under eighteen years of age with an elevated blood lead level that is at or above the blood lead reference level established pursuant to section 17-912 residing in any dwelling unit, the department of health and mental hygiene shall conduct such investigation as may be necessary to identify potential sources of the elevated blood lead level, including but not limited to, an inspection of the dwelling unit where such person resides. If the department of health and mental hygiene issues an order to correct any violation, the department of health and mental hygiene shall notify the department of each dwelling unit in a dwelling for which the department of health and mental hygiene has issued an order to correct a violation. Where the owner of the dwelling or relevant dwelling unit within such dwelling fails to comply with an order of the department of health and mental hygiene to correct a violation placed by the department of health and mental hygiene, the department of health and mental hygiene shall certify such conditions to the department of housing preservation and development. The certification procedure shall be completed within sixteen days of the report of the elevated blood lead level. The conditions so certified shall be corrected within eighteen days of certification to the department. b. In the event that the department of health and mental hygiene issues an order to correct a violation for a condition in a common area of a dwelling identified during an investigation conducted pursuant to subdivision a of this section or section 17-185 , the department of health and mental hygiene shall post a notice of such order in a conspicuous manner in the building lobby, and the building owner shall post a notice of such order on each floor within ten feet of the elevator, or, in a building where there is no elevator, within ten feet of or in the main stairwell on such floor. Such notice shall remain posted until a determination by the department of health and mental hygiene that the violating condition has been corrected, and shall include an explanation of the hazards of lead exposure, a description of precautionary measures to prevent exposure to lead dust and an appropriate telephone number to obtain lead poisoning screening, diagnosis and treatment information. (Am. L.L. 2019/066, 4/14/2019, eff. 8/12/2019; Am. L.L. 2021/040, 4/18/2021, eff. 4/18/2022) Editor's note: For related unconsolidated provisions, see Appendix A at L.L. 2004/001 .
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2056.14, when a child under 18 is reported to have an elevated blood lead level at or above the established reference level, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) is required to investigate potential sources, including inspecting the dwelling unit where the child lives. If the owner fails to correct a violation ordered by DOHMH, the matter is certified to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) within 16 days of the report, and HPD must correct the conditions within 18 days of that certification. For violations found in common areas, building owners are required to post notices on each floor describing lead hazards, precautionary measures, and contact information for lead poisoning resources.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2056.14, compliant building owners promptly respond to any DOHMH order to correct lead-related violations, particularly when a child with an elevated blood lead level resides in the dwelling. Operators who receive a common-area violation order post the required notice in the building lobby and on each floor near the elevator or main stairwell within the timeframes specified, keeping those notices up until DOHMH confirms the condition is corrected. Owners who do not act within the statutory window risk having HPD step in to make corrections, typically at the owner's expense.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 27-2056.14 of the N.Y.C. Admin. Code gives tenants important protections when a child in the household has a reported elevated blood lead level — DOHMH is obligated to investigate and, if violations are found, to set a strict timeline for correction. If a landlord fails to comply with a DOHMH order, tenants can contact HPD, which has authority to step in and correct the conditions directly. Tenants who believe these obligations are not being met may also reach out to a tenant-rights organization or the relevant agencies for guidance on available enforcement paths.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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