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Language Access Plan

All City Agencies must provide direct public services and create a Language Access Implementation Plan in order to ensure meaningful language access to their services.

Our goal is to provide meaningful access to services and materials by developing and implementing an agency-specific language assistance plan for our Limited English Proficient (LEP) applicants, homeowners and other customers.

Local Law 30 of 2017 strengthens language access services for people with limited English skills and expands the list of designated citywide languages to 10. It requires City agencies that provide direct services to the public to translate their most commonly distributed documents into the top 10 citywide languages. It also requires agencies to provide telephonic interpretation in at least 100 languages and to develop a language access implementation plan to be posted on an agency's website.

The top ten LEP languages determined by the Department of City Planning will be implemented to promote access to services through language assistance which is critical for staff members to interact effectively with our customers.

Languages below are the designated languages citywide:

  1. Spanish
  2. Chinese (Cantonese, Mandarin and Formosan)
  3. Russian
  4. Bengali
  5. Haitian Creole
  6. Korean
  7. Polish
  8. French
  9. Urdu
  10. Arabic

DOB Language Access Coordinator: Lisa Lewis, Customer Service Director
The Agency Language Access Coordinator ensures each LEP customer receives an excellent customer service experience aligned with their language access needs.

Read the DOB's Language Access Implementation Plan.

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