April 24, 2023

HPD’s annual list of the most poorly maintained buildings in New York City are selected for the Alternative Enforcement Program, released for the 16th year

The building owners on this year’s list now face additional oversight and pressure to address nearly 39,000 open violations and repay $3.4 million in repairs

NEW YORK, NY – Holding bad actors accountable, the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is increasing enforcement against 250 of the city’s most distressed apartment buildings through its Alternative Enforcement Program.    

The Alternate Enforcement Program (AEP) is directed at buildings which have violations recently issued which suggest that the owner is failing to provide basic standards of living in their buildings, and where a targeted intervention is required to protect the health and safety of the New Yorkers who live there. Each year, HPD selects a new round of buildings for AEP with excessive housing code violations – including mold and heat outages – and with mounting costs related to emergency repairs completed by HPD. These violations impact the well-being of New Yorkers and the emergency repairs come at a great cost to the City, which the owners are required to repay.

Since its inception in 2007, AEP has improved conditions across thousands of NYC’s most distressed buildings and recouped millions in unpaid emergency repair costs. Earlier this year, HPD identified 250 buildings for Round 16 of the program with close to 39,000 open housing code violations and $3.4 million in unpaid emergency repairs.

“Landlords across the city need to know that if they don’t do right by their tenants, we will take action,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión, Jr. “All New Yorkers deserve safe, well-maintained homes and our Alternative Enforcement Program is one of our sharpest tools for improving the lives of people who live in the most distressed buildings across the city.”

Round 16 of AEP includes 33 buildings in Manhattan representing 733 homes; 75 buildings in The Bronx representing 2,006 homes; 117 buildings in Brooklyn representing 1,605 homes; and 25 buildings in Queens representing 537 homes. Open housing code violations in these buildings include 10,428 for immediately hazardous conditions such as mold, evidence of rodents, lead-based paint, and inoperable self-closing doors. Another 21,081 violations are for other hazardous conditions such as leaks or holes in the plaster or sheetrock. Owners of buildings in Round 16 of AEP owe the City nearly $3.4 million for failing to address immediately hazardous violations in a reasonable time requiring HPD’s Emergency Repair Program to step in and bill the owners. In addition, HPD’s Housing Litigation Division is seeking repairs in housing court against owners of 46 of the buildings selected for the program.

AEP holds property owners responsible for fixing major problems by increasing oversight and pressure on owners to act quickly to improve conditions. Many buildings are discharged from the program within a few months when owners are responsive and conduct repairs and address violations. When a building owner does not address violations within the first four months of the program, the owners can face significant fees and Orders to Correct. Orders to Correct may require the owners to replace building systems and address most of their violations, including all heat and hot water violations and at least 80% of hazardous mold and pest violations. Owners are required to pay for any outstanding charges related to emergency repairs or enter a payment agreement with the City to be discharged from AEP. For owners who fail to comply with the Correct Order in a timely manner, HPD may bring the owner to Housing Court.

HPD continues to monitor buildings discharged from AEP within the first four months for at least one year. These buildings may still qualify for future rounds of AEP. If this happens, AEP may take immediate action and issue an Order to Correct shortly after the selection.

Visit the HPD Website for a full list of buildings selected for Round 16 of the Alternative Enforcement Program.

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The New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the nation’s largest municipal housing preservation and development agency. Its mission is to promote quality housing and diverse, thriving neighborhoods for New Yorkers through loan and development programs for new affordable housing, preservation of the affordability of the existing housing stock, enforcement of housing quality standards, and educational programs for tenants and building owners. For full details visit www.nyc.gov/hpd and for regular updates on HPD news and services, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @NYCHousing.