Mount Vernon, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 149 § 149-71
Mandatory task force inspection
Operative Text
A. Whenever a multifamily dwelling is classified as having a chronic history of violations, the Commissioner of Buildings shall immediately notify the owner, in writing, of the building's classification and of the other matters required by this article and, as soon as practicable thereafter, shall commence a task force inspection and investigation to determine if the premises is fit for human habitation. At the same time that the Commissioner of Buildings notifies the owner of the building's classification, the Commissioner, through the office of the City Clerk, shall simultaneously notify the City Council that the building has been so designated. B. The task force inspection shall be conducted in cooperation with the Commissioner of Public Safety, Fire Commissioner, and any other federal, state, or local agency that the Commissioner of Buildings deems appropriate under the circumstances. C. A printed sign shall be conspicuously placed on the building notifying the public that the building has been classified as having "Chronic History of Building Code Violations" showing the name, address, and telephone number of the owner and further indicating that the owner is being prosecuted by the City for such violations.
Under Mount Vernon, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 149 § 149-71, when a multifamily dwelling is officially classified as having a chronic history of violations, a coordinated government inspection process is triggered. The Commissioner of Buildings must notify the owner in writing, alert the City Council simultaneously, and launch a multi-agency task force inspection to assess whether the building is fit for human habitation. A public notice sign bearing the owner's name, address, and phone number—and stating that the owner is being prosecuted—must be posted conspicuously on the building.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 149-71, once a multifamily property receives a chronic-violation classification, compliant operators understand that a formal written notice from the Commissioner of Buildings initiates an immediate multi-agency inspection process. The task force may include the Commissioner of Public Safety, the Fire Commissioner, and other federal, state, or local agencies. Operators generally maintain proactive code compliance to avoid the classification threshold that triggers this provision, including the mandatory public posting of the owner's contact information on the building facade.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 149-71 establishes a formal inspection mechanism that tenants in affected multifamily buildings can look to as a sign that city authorities are actively reviewing habitability conditions. When a building is classified under this provision, a public sign must be posted on the building, and a multi-agency task force inspection is required—giving tenants a visible indicator that enforcement action is underway. Tenants who believe their building may qualify for this classification can contact the Mount Vernon Commissioner of Buildings, reach out to local tenant-rights organizations, or raise the building's code-violation history as relevant context in any housing proceedings.
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
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.