Local Law 11/98 - New York City's Facade Regulations

If you own a business in New York City, you should be aware of local law 11/98, which concerns any businesses that are greater than 6 stories high. According to the regulations, any business of this height must have their exterior walls inspected properly once every five years and subsequently file their inspection report with the Department of Buildings. The examination itself has to be performed by someone recognized as a qualified wall inspector, preferably someone employed as an architect or engineer in the city.

Under the regulations of local law 11/98, there are three categories under which your facade can fall once the inspections have been completed. The first category is that of "Safe". The city describes this category as walls that have been inspected and determined to be free of problems and look to be in good condition. The second category is that of "Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program", which states that the walls are safe, however there is some maintenance or repair that needs to be done. The final category is that of "Unsafe", which means the inspector has found a problem with the facade that could pose a threat to the safety of the public.

As far as the requirements of local law 11/98, the building owner must file his or her report with the government after the inspections have been made. Late penalties can be levied against the owners on a monthly basis until the report is received by the Department of Buildings. There may be additional penalties if the report is not filed after a year's time has passed. In most circumstances, the owners have a time window of only thirty days in which to conduct the repairs needed to bring the facade up to code or to provide for the public's safety with a fence or other means of keeping people away from the side of the building. Extensions of up to ninety days can be granted in some instances.

Various fees and penalties are associated with the regulations of local law 11/98. These went into effect on February 14, 2011. Under the regulations, the fee for the initial report is $265, a subsequent report is $100, and a request for an extension is $135. Late fees will also apply when the circumstances call for it. Late filing fees are levied at the rate of $250 each month that the report is delayed. An additional $1,000 per year may be levied if the report is never filed. If the inspections find that the facade is unsafe, the owners will be fined an amount of $1,000 per month once the initial 45-day time frame has passed.