N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2125
Power to cause or order corrections of violations (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. Whenever the department determines that because of any violation of this chapter or other applicable law, any dwelling or part of its premises is dangerous to human life and safety or detrimental to health, it may (1) correct such conditions, or (2) order the owner of the dwelling or other responsible party to correct such conditions. b. Where the department determines that any violation of this chapter or other applicable law exists in any dwelling or part of its premises, it may order the owner of the dwelling or other responsible party to correct such conditions. c. An order issued pursuant to the preceding subdivisions shall state the violations involved and the corrective action to be taken, and shall fix a time for compliance, which shall be not less than twenty-one days from the date of service of the order, except that where a condition dangerous to human life and safety or detrimental to health exists or is threatened, a shorter period for compliance may be fixed. d. Any order not complied with within the stated time for compliance may be executed by the department. Where a multiple dwelling has been declared a public nuisance pursuant to section 27-2114 of article one of this subchapter, and an order to correct the conditions constituting the nuisance has not been complied with, the department shall execute the order pursuant to this subdivision or institute proceedings pursuant to article six of this subchapter.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2125, the New York City housing department has authority to act when a dwelling is found to have conditions that are dangerous to life, safety, or health. The department may either step in and correct those conditions directly or issue a formal order requiring the owner or another responsible party to fix them within a set timeframe—generally no fewer than 21 days, though emergencies can shorten that window. If an order goes unheeded, the department is empowered to carry out the corrective work itself, and in cases where a building has been declared a public nuisance, it must either execute the order or pursue further legal proceedings.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2125 generally respond promptly to any departmental order identifying housing code violations, taking care to complete corrective work within the compliance period stated in the order. Compliant operators document all remediation steps and maintain records that demonstrate timely action, since the department retains the right to perform the work itself and charge associated costs back to the owner if the order is not satisfied. When a building has been declared a public nuisance under § 27-2114, operators are aware that the department's obligation to act becomes mandatory, making proactive correction especially important.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in dwellings with conditions that may be dangerous or detrimental to health can look to N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2125 as the basis for the city's authority to order repairs or intervene directly. If a landlord fails to comply with a departmental correction order within the required timeframe, the department itself may step in to address the hazardous conditions—a protection tenants can reference when raising housing code violations. Tenants seeking to understand their options may consider contacting the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, consulting a tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether an existing violation order can be raised as a defense in a housing proceeding.
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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