New York City Department of Buildings
07/31/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/31/2026 14:15
Buildings News: July 31, 2026
DOB in Your Community
Are you a small property owner with questions about construction permits, building violations, or starting a new renovation project?
We are here to help at our next DOB in Your Community event, scheduled to take place in Sunnyside, Queens, on Sunday, August 2.
DOB in your Community events are one of the most popular ways that homeowners, small business owners, and small property owners can get direct answers from DOB staff for their building's related questions.
This free event gives New Yorkers the opportunity to meet with DOB representatives right in their own neighborhood. Registration is encouraged.
Coming up next, later this month DOB staff will be coming to Hunter College in Manhattan on Saturday, August 22 for the next DOB in Your Community event. RSVP today to reserve a spot.
Check Out Our Other Upcoming Events
Rental Rip-Off Hearing Report
Earlier this month, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and administration officials visited the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side of Manhattan to announce the release the city's Rental Rip-Off Hearing Report. The reporter includes a set of major policy reforms to better protect tenants from poor living conditions and predatory behavior in the New York City rental market.
These ideas for these reforms were drawn from thousands of conversations held between city officials and our fellow New Yorkers at a series of Rental Rip-Off public hearings held in all five boroughs. Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani and other DOB officials took part in these hearings, hearing directly from New Yorkers about their experiences as renters.
This report creates a blueprint for proposed legislation, rulemaking, executive actions, legal actions and other measures that city officials can take to strengthen tenant protections and improve code enforcement against the most common housing and buildings complaints. Among other major changes highlighted in the report, the Department of Buildings will work on multiple fronts to promote better elevator access and maintenance citywide.
Check Out the Rental Rip-Off Hearing Report
Existing Building Code
New York City's brand new Existing Building Code (EBC), which will govern all building alteration applications here in the five boroughs, officially goes into effect on July 17, 2027.
The EBC creates a single unified set of regulations that applies to renovation and alteration projects regardless of the age of the building or the prior code status. This is a major change for the construction and real estate industries, who for years have had to jump between different sets of outdated regulations when working on different projects.
In an effort to educate the industry on how the new Code will help simplify project planning and improve the application process, the Department is releasing a newsletter series dedicated completely to the EBC. We have also updated our website with new training videos, case studies, FAQs, and a new email inbox for your EBC related questions.
Check Out The First Edition of the EBC Newsletter
Learn More at our EBC Resource Page
Ballot Measures For City Charter Amendments
New York City's Committee on Government Efficiency (COGE) recently announced five new ballot proposals that New Yorkers will vote on in the upcoming election. The ballot proposals look to make changes to the City Charter that are aimed at speeding up permits and contracts, saving small businesses money, accelerating housing and street safety improvements, and strengthening fiscal responsibility.
Ballot proposal #4 specifically makes changes to simplify the permitting process by creating a centralized construction permits hub, move waterfront permitting to the Department of Buildings, and allow Certificate of Occupancy approvals by additional Department of Buildings officials than are currently able to provide these approvals.
Earlier this month, Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani testified in front of COGE at a public hearing, in order to express his support for these proposed charter revisions.
Check Out the Press Release For More Information
See the Proposed Ballot Measures and Charter Amendments
Read Commissioner Tigani's Testimony
New Rules For Sidewalk Sheds
On Thursday, August 13, the Department will be promulgating new agency rules that are aimed at enhancing oversight and enforcement requirements for sidewalk sheds.
The new rules will require property owners to start providing the Department with quarterly updates on the status of building repairs associated with sidewalk. Every 90 days, during the permit renewal process, applicants must also provide a report indicating the work that was performed since the last permit renewal, the work currently being performed, and an estimate of the time needed to fully complete the repairs.
The rules also include new penalties for keeping sidewalk sheds up on the public right of way for longer than 180 days, which is aimed a compelling building owners to more quickly begin needed façade repairs. Penalties will not apply to one- or two-family homes or to sidewalk sheds that are installed in connection with new building, enlargement, or demolition work for which a permit has been issued. These new penalties are expected to go into effect in early 2027.
Read Our New Sidewalk Shed Enforcement and Oversight Rule
Next Deadline for Local Law 97 Reports
Are you a building owner covered under Local Law 97 who filed for a 2026 reporting extension?
Be advised that the current deadline for owners that requested an extension for their Local Law 97 reports is coming up on August 29.
In the first compliance year for this nation-leading building carbon emissions reduction initiative, approximately 93% of covered property owners submitted their required reports. In this second compliance year, we are hard at work helping building owners get on to a manageable compliance pathway.
Seeking guidance on how to reduce your building's emissions?
NYC Accelerator is ready to help, serving as the city's one-stop-shop for information on energy efficient upgrades, compliance calculating, retrofit project scoping, available financing options, and more.
Find out more about Local Law 97
File Your Local Law 97 Compliance Report on BEAM
Structural Failure in Midtown Manhattan
The work of the Department of Buildings has captured the headlines this month after a serious structural failure of two steel columns occurred at a high-rise construction project in Midtown Manhattan, leading to major street closures and evacuations. While a collapse did not occur, the failure of the columns destabilized the 37-story tower, posing a major public safety hazard.
Over the past month, DOB safety inspectors and structural engineers have worked round the clock at the location to monitor emergency stabilization and safety remediation work. These efforts undertaken by project contractors have since stabilized the building, and the last of the remaining emergency street closures was lifted last week.
To better understand how this construction failure occurred and what can be done to prevent similar incidents in the future, DOB has launched a full investigation into determining what exactly went wrong.
Thankfully no one was injured in the incident, nor was anyone hurt during the emergency stabilization work. The Department is deeply committed to the safety of our fellow New Yorkers, and we thank the collaborative efforts of the developer's project team and our fellow agency partners on these efforts to protect the public.
Deadline for Natural Gas Detectors
Starting on January 1, 2027, residential property owners will be required to install natural gas detectors near gas-fed appliances at their apartment buildings, hotels, one- and two-family homes, and and all Class B dwellings (such as hotels).
This deadline went into effect as a result of Local Law 102 of 2025, which mandated the deadline if DOB is able to identify at least four distinct manufacturers of battery-powered alarms. The Department has identified at least four distinct manufacturers.
Service Updates
Local Law 152 of 2016: Gas Piping Systems Certifications to be Submitted in DOB NOW
Local Law 149 of 2021: Construction Superintendents are Limited to One Job
Submit a Permit Renewal with Changes in DOB NOW to Update the Business Listed on the Permit
Deadline to Install Natural Gas Alarms is January 1, 2027
Follow-up #1: 2025 NYCEC to Launch in DOB NOW: Build
Follow-up #1: Launch of NEW DOB NOW: Inspections Plus Module
Launch of 2025 New York City Electrical Code and New Inspections Plus Module in DOB NOW
All Department Service Updates
Work For DOB
We are looking for qualified construction, boiler and plumbing professionals to join our ranks as DOB inspectors
Please check out our jobs page to see what openings we have at the agency.
Check Out Our New Recruitment Video
Apply for Open Positions at DOB
Learn More About Careers at DOB
Hearings + Rules
1 RCNY 101-03 Amendment of Rules relating to Sidewalk Sheds (Fees Payable to the Department of Buildings)
Promulgated Effective Date 8/13/26
1 RCNY 102-07 Amendment of Rules relating to Sidewalk Sheds (Sidewalk shed permit renewal requirements and penalties)
Promulgated Effective Date 8/13/26
Buildings Bulletins
2026-012 : This Bulletin rescinds 2 PPN(s), and 3 Memorandum(a) which were issued by the Department but are no longer applicable under current Codes and Local Laws.
2026-011: This document establishes an equivalent alternative to the supplemental inspector (Alternative 2) certification for the Subsurface Investigations, Borings and Tests Pits Special Inspection category found in 1 RCNY 101-06 Appendix A.
Local Laws
Code Notes
DOB Code Notes covers an array of construction projects for both residential and commercial properties. Each Code Note explains the necessary filings, applicable codes and zoning, relevant bulletins, directives and memos for some of the most applied for construction projects in New York City.
Electrical Advisories
Construction Advisory are official messages from the Department of Buildings to homeowners, building maintenance staff, construction personnel and others addressing safety issues and best practices in NYC construction. In June DOB issued a slate of advisories for the electrical industry.
Electrical Permits and Payments
Electrical Owner' Attestations
Electrical After Hours Variances (AHV)
Electrical PAAs and EPR PAA Fees
Electrical Permit Renewals and Insurance
Check Out Our Construction Advisories
Enforcement Bulletins
DOB publishes monthly bulletins detailing the agency's efforts to sanction and deter bad actors in the construction industry. You can find this information posted on the Enforcement Action Bulletin page of our website.
New York City Department of Buildings published this content on July 31, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on July 31, 2026 at 20:15 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]