Buffalo, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 264 § 264-13
Commissioner's regulations (Buffalo Rental Dwelling Unit Registration Ordinance)
Operative Text
A. The Commissioner is authorized to promulgate regulations consistent with the provisions of this chapter in order to carry out the objectives of this legislation. B. The Commissioner shall, no later than October 1 of each year, deliver a report to the Common Council containing, at minimum, the following information related to activities conducted pursuant to this chapter: (1) The number of residential rental dwelling units inspected; (2) The number of unique residential properties inspected; (3) The number of units requiring multiple inspections; (4) The number of units in which lead hazards were found; (5) The number of warrants that the Department sought; (6) The number of unique rental registration unit certificates issued by the Department; (7) The number of unique certificates of rental compliance issued by the Department; (8) The dollar amount deposited into the T&A account described in § 264-15C ; (9) The dollar amount withdrawn from the T&A account described in § 264-15C .
Buffalo, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 264 § 264-13 establishes two key administrative functions for the Commissioner overseeing the city's residential rental inspection program. First, the Commissioner has authority to create regulations that support the goals of the chapter. Second, the Commissioner must submit an annual report to the Common Council by October 1 each year, covering metrics such as the number of units inspected, lead hazards found, certificates issued, and financial activity in the designated trust-and-agency account.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 264-13, the Commissioner may issue regulations that rental property operators must follow in connection with Buffalo's residential rental inspection program. Compliant operators generally stay current with any administrative rules the Commissioner promulgates, since those rules carry the same force as the underlying chapter. Tracking inspection outcomes, certificate status, and any lead-hazard findings at your properties aligns with the data categories the Commissioner is required to report annually to the Common Council.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 264-13 requires the Commissioner to deliver a public annual report to the Common Council by October 1 each year, which means tenants can review data on lead hazards found, inspections conducted, and certificates issued in Buffalo's rental housing stock. If a tenant is concerned about whether their unit was inspected or whether lead hazards were identified, the annual report described in this provision is one avenue for understanding program-wide activity. Tenant-rights organizations in Buffalo can help residents understand how the data in that report, and the regulations the Commissioner may issue under § 264-13, relate to conditions in their own homes.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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Rules and statutes that cite this regulation