N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2094
Inspection of one- and two-family dwellings; voluntary registration of owner-occupant (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the department, its officers or inspectors, shall have no authority to inspect a one- or two-family dwelling, at least one dwelling unit of which is owner-occupied, for violations of this code, unless the department has received a signed complaint relating to conditions in such dwelling or has a warrant for such inspection. b. The owner of a one- or two-family dwelling who occupies a dwelling unit in such dwelling, may notify the department of such owner-occupancy, without payment of a fee, by filing a form to be prescribed by the department including the following information: (1) An identification of the premises by street number or by such other description as will enable the department to locate the dwelling; and (2) An identification of the owner by name, residence and business address; and (3) A statement that he or she is the owner-occupant of the premises.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2094, the New York City housing department is generally barred from conducting code-violation inspections of one- or two-family dwellings where at least one unit is owner-occupied, unless the department has received a signed complaint about conditions in that dwelling or has obtained a warrant. Separately, the provision creates a voluntary registration process through which an owner-occupant can formally notify the department of their status by filing a prescribed form — at no cost — that identifies the property, the owner, and confirms the owner-occupancy. This registration is not mandatory, but it places the owner's status on record with the department.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owner-occupants of one- or two-family dwellings in New York City benefit from a limited inspection shield under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2094: routine, unsolicited code inspections generally cannot occur without a signed complaint or a warrant. Operators who wish to formally document their owner-occupant status with the department can do so at no charge by submitting the department's prescribed form, which requires the property address, the owner's name and contact addresses, and a statement of owner-occupancy. Keeping this registration current and maintaining records of any complaints received are practices consistent with operating transparently under this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2094, tenants living in a one- or two-family dwelling where the owner also resides should be aware that the city housing department's ability to conduct proactive inspections is limited — inspections generally require either a signed complaint or a warrant. A tenant who believes there are code violations in such a dwelling can trigger the department's authority to inspect by filing a signed complaint, which is one of the key enforcement paths this provision preserves. Tenant-rights organizations and the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development can provide information about how the complaint process works and what protections may apply.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 14, 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.