Williston Park, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 168 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 168-16
Responsibilities of owners
Operative Text
A. Owners of premises shall be responsible for compliance with the provisions of this article and shall remain responsible therefor, regardless of the fact that this article may also place certain responsibilities on operators and occupants and regardless of any agreements between the owners and operators or occupants as to which party shall assume such responsibility. B. Owners and operators of buildings shall be responsible for the proper installation, maintenance, condition and operation of service facilities and for furnishing adequate heat and hot water supply where they have contracted to do so. C. Whenever any person or persons shall be in actual possession of or have charge, care or control of any property within the village as executor, administrator, trustee, guardian, operator or agent, such person shall be deemed and taken to be the owner or owners of said property within the true intent and meaning of this article and shall be bound to comply with the provisions of this article to the same extent as the record owner, and notice to any such person of any order or decision of the Building Inspector shall be deemed and taken to be a good and sufficient notice, as if such person or persons were actually the record owner or owners of such property. In the instances where an occupant is responsible or shares responsibility with the owner for the existence of one or more violations of this article, said occupant shall be deemed and taken to be an owner within the true intent and meaning of this article.
Section 168-16 of Williston Park's Code of Ordinances establishes that property owners bear ultimate responsibility for complying with the housing article's requirements, even if other parties such as operators or occupants also carry duties under the same rules. Private agreements shifting responsibility to tenants or managers do not relieve the owner of legal accountability. The provision also extends 'owner' status—and the obligations that come with it—to anyone exercising control over a property, such as an executor, trustee, or agent, and in some cases to occupants who contribute to a violation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 168-16, operators and owners of buildings in Williston Park are responsible for properly installing, maintaining, and operating service facilities, and for supplying adequate heat and hot water where they have agreed to do so. A compliant property owner or manager keeps service systems in good working order and does not rely on lease clauses or side agreements to shift that legal responsibility away. Because § 168-16 treats anyone with charge or control of a property as an owner for enforcement purposes, property managers and agents should be aware that official notices from the Building Inspector directed to them carry the same legal weight as notices to the record owner.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 168-16 makes clear that a property owner's ultimate responsibility for housing-code compliance in Williston Park cannot be contracted away to a tenant, meaning tenants generally retain the right to hold owners accountable regardless of what a lease may say. However, the provision also notes that an occupant who is responsible for—or shares responsibility for—a violation may themselves be treated as an owner under the article and held to the same obligations. Tenants who believe a service facility is improperly maintained or that heat or hot water is not being provided as agreed may consider documenting the conditions and reaching out to the Williston Park Building Inspector, whose notices under § 168-16 carry formal legal effect, or consulting a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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