Gates, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 133 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 133-16
Alternative remedies
Operative Text
The Town of Gates Code Compliance Officer or his/her designee shall have the following alternative remedies for enforcement of this chapter: A. Appearance tickets. The Building Inspector or his/her representative shall have the authority, pursuant to the New York State Criminal Procedure Law , to issue an appearance ticket subscribed by him/her, directing a designated person to appear in a designated local criminal court at a designated future time in connection with the alleged commission of a designated violation of this chapter or any order made thereunder. B. Any person or business entity who is the owner of is in charge of the property who commits a violation of the provisions of this article or has control of the property and permits a violation to exist shall upon conviction be guilty of an offense, punishable by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $5,000 upon a conviction of a first offense; upon a conviction of a second offense, committed within five years of the first offense, a fine of not less than $2,000 nor more than $10,000; and upon conviction of a third or subsequent offense, committed within five years of the first offense, a fine of not less than $4,000 nor more than $15,000. Each day, or part thereof, such violation continues, following notification by the Town or service of a summons, appearance ticket or notice of violation returnable before the Town Court, shall constitute a separate offense, punishable in like manner. C. Penalties for offenses under § 133-7B , Habitually noncompliant vacant buildings or structures. Any person who is found to be owning or having charge or control of any building or structure that is habitually noncompliant under § 133-7B of this chapter shall, upon conviction of any violation of this chapter relating to said building or structure, be punished by the maximum fine of $1,000 for such violation. In the event of any failure to so comply, each and every day that such violation continues shall constitute a separate offense, and the penalties described above shall be applicable to each such separate offense.
Section 133-16 of the Gates, N.Y., Code of Ordinances establishes a set of escalating enforcement tools for housing code violations. A Code Compliance Officer or Building Inspector may issue appearance tickets requiring a named person to appear in local criminal court. Conviction of a first offense carries fines between $1,000 and $5,000; a second offense within five years raises that range to $2,000–$10,000; and a third or subsequent offense within five years can result in fines of $4,000–$15,000. Each day a violation continues after official notification counts as a separate offense, and owners of habitually noncompliant vacant buildings face a mandatory maximum fine of $1,000 per violation per day under § 133-7B.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers subject to Gates, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 133 § 133-16 generally maintain their properties in continuous compliance to avoid the chapter's escalating criminal penalty structure. Compliant operators promptly address any notice of violation, appearance ticket, or summons, because each day a violation persists after official notification is treated as a new, separately punishable offense. Owners of vacant buildings should be especially attentive to the habitually noncompliant designation under § 133-7B, which triggers a mandatory per-day fine structure upon any related conviction.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living near or affected by properties with unresolved code violations may find § 133-16 of the Gates, N.Y., Code of Ordinances relevant, as it gives the Town's Code Compliance Officer authority to pursue criminal enforcement—including appearance tickets and escalating fines—against non-compliant property owners. If a property owner has received official notification of a violation and has not corrected it, each passing day can constitute a separate offense under this provision. Tenants who believe a landlord is in violation of ch. 133 may consider contacting the Town of Gates Code Compliance Office to report conditions, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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