Johnson City, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 165 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 165-29
Habitual violators
Operative Text
A. A permittee who fails to correct a violation within the time period given by notice, or an owner who has been required to appear before a court of competent jurisdiction for such failure, three times for the same rental building or structure or on three separate properties during a twelve-month period may be deemed a habitual violator if found by the Code Enforcement Officer, court, or Zoning Board of Appeals, where applicable, to have failed to correct the violations without good cause. Upon finding that a permittee is a habitual violator, an agent or representative of such owner shall be deemed a habitual violator as to those properties. B. A finding that an owner is a habitual violator shall be a basis for a court of competent jurisdiction to find probable cause for the issuance of an administrative search warrant for all properties owned or managed by a habitual violator. The fee for this unified inspection will be charged at regular inspection rates as set forth in § 165-11 . The owner may be placed on an accelerated inspection schedule by the court, thereby reducing certification periods, if the result of the unified inspection justifies such action. The fees as set forth in § 165-11 shall be charged for such inspections.
Section 165-29 of the Johnson City, N.Y., Code of Ordinances establishes a 'habitual violator' designation for rental property permittees or owners who fail to correct violations—without good cause—three times for the same building or across three separate properties within a twelve-month period. Once designated, the owner's agents and representatives are also covered by that finding for the affected properties. A habitual violator designation can trigger administrative search warrants for all properties the owner manages, along with accelerated inspection schedules and inspection fees set under § 165-11.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Johnson City, N.Y., Code of Ordinances § 165-29 generally maintain timely correction of all cited violations within the notice periods provided, keeping documentation of completed repairs and any circumstances that might constitute 'good cause' for delays. Compliant operators are mindful that three uncorrected violations—whether at one building or across multiple properties—within a twelve-month window can lead to a habitual violator finding by the Code Enforcement Officer, a court, or the Zoning Board of Appeals. A habitual violator designation extends to agents and representatives and can expose all managed properties to unified administrative inspections billed at the rates established in § 165-11, as well as shortened certification periods under an accelerated inspection schedule.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 165-29 of the Johnson City, N.Y., Code of Ordinances gives tenants a framework to understand when a landlord may face heightened regulatory scrutiny: if an owner repeatedly fails to correct violations across properties within a year, authorities can designate that owner a habitual violator. This designation can prompt inspections of all properties the owner manages, which may benefit tenants living in buildings with unresolved code issues. Tenants who believe their landlord has a pattern of uncorrected violations may consider contacting the Johnson City Code Enforcement Office to report concerns, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on 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 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation