Are there health and building regulations regarding minimum cleanliness and environmental safety that my client must meet in order to prevent eviction?
A. Yes, various New York City Laws and codes (building, electric, fire, plumbing, health, etc.) mandate basic standards to ensure occupants’ health and safety – and people with hoarding behaviors are often in violation of these standards. One New York City code is the Housing Maintenance Code (HMC), which overlaps many of the other codes, and applies to residential buildings. HMC establishes the minimum standards of health, safety, fire protection, light, ventilation, cleanliness, maintenance and occupancy in residential apartments in New York City. The Housing Preservation Department (HPD), the nation’s largest municipal housing agency, enforces the HMC and the Multiple Dwelling Law on all residential properties. Violations if not remedied, are grounds for eviction. Knowing what the violations are can be a powerful leveraging tool to encourage clients to cooperate in a minimum clean-up. The HMC has a section specifically about what constitute grounds for eviction. Sec. 27-2009 of the
Related Questions
- Are there health and building regulations regarding minimum cleanliness and environmental safety that my client must meet in order to prevent eviction?
- What happens if my property does not meet the minimum health/safety and zoning requirements?
- How do the Building Regulations fit into Health and Safety?
