Cal. Civ. Code § 328
Central Violations Bureau
Operative Text
§ 328. Central Violations Bureau. 1. In cities having a population of one million or more, the department shall establish a central violations bureau which shall establish and maintain currently an index showing and a file containing, with respect to each building located in the city, the name, address and telephone number of the present owner of the building and whether or not he is a member in good standing of the rent stabilization association or registered pursuant to the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four or the rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine where one or more dwelling units therein are subject to the rent stabilization law, each notice and order of the building department, the fire department, the health department, the water supply, gas and electricity department and of every other municipal department or agency having jurisdiction over such building alleging the occupation of such building in violation of law or the existence of a nuisance therein and of each notice, order, rule or certificate showing the clearance, correction or abatement of such violation or nuisance. 2. It shall be the duty of the department and of every other municipal department and agency having jurisdiction over buildings located in the city of New York to file with the central violations bureau established by this section a true copy of each notice and order of such department or agency alleging the occupation of a building in violation of law or the existence of a nuisance therein and of each notice, order, rule or certificate showing the clearance, correction or abatement of such violation or nuisance within seventy-two hours from the date of issuance of such notice, order, rule or certificate. 3. In any action or proceeding before the housing part of the New York city civil court either (a) the visually displayed or (b) the printed computerized violation files of the department responsible for maintaining such files and all other computerized data as shall be relevant to the enforcement of state and local laws for the establishment and maintenance of housing standards, including but not limited to the name, address and telephone number of the present owner of the building and whether or not he is a member in good standing of the rent stabilization association or registered pursuant to the emergency tenant protection act of nineteen seventy-four or the rent stabilization law of nineteen hundred sixty-nine where one or more dwelling units therein are subject to the rent stabilization law, shall be prima facie evidence of any matter stated therein and the courts shall take judicial notice thereof as if same were certified as true under the seal and signature of the commissioner of that department.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 328 requires New York City (as a city of one million or more) to operate a Central Violations Bureau that tracks, for every building in the city, the owner's contact information, rent stabilization status, and all violation notices and orders issued by city agencies such as the building, fire, and health departments, as well as records showing when those violations were cleared. City agencies must file copies of relevant notices and orders with the bureau within 72 hours of issuance. In Housing Court proceedings, the computerized violation records maintained under this section carry the weight of prima facie evidence, meaning courts treat them as presumptively accurate without requiring additional certification.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 328, the Central Violations Bureau maintains a continuously updated public record of every violation notice and clearance order associated with a building, along with the owner's name, address, phone number, and rent stabilization registration status. Operators who promptly correct violations and ensure that clearance documentation is filed with the relevant city agency help keep their building's bureau record accurate and current. Because those computerized records are treated as prima facie evidence in Housing Court under § 328(3), maintaining an accurate violation-and-clearance history is a routine part of compliant property management in New York City.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 328 gives tenants access to a centralized, publicly maintained record of open and resolved violations for any building in New York City, including the owner's contact information and rent stabilization registration status. Because § 328(3) provides that these computerized records constitute prima facie evidence in Housing Court, a tenant or their representative can reference the bureau's files when raising housing-standard violations in a court proceeding or administrative matter. Tenants who want to review a building's violation history can consult the Central Violations Bureau records directly, and tenant-rights organizations can help explain how those records may be relevant to a particular housing situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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