N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2110
Style of legal actions by department; disposition of moneys collected (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. All actions or proceedings instituted to recover penalties imposed by this code, or to recover any costs, expenses and disbursements incurred by the department for the repair or rehabilitation of a dwelling that are reimbursable under the provisions of this code, shall be brought in the name of the department by the corporation counsel. b. All moneys recovered under this section shall be paid to the city officer who brings such actions and proceedings. Such officer shall pay the moneys to the commissioner of finance each month. The officer, on the first of each month, shall report to the commissioner of the department on the amount collected under this section, if any, and the necessary disbursements incurred in the prosecution of such actions and proceedings, if any.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2110, legal actions to collect penalties or to recover costs the city incurred repairing or rehabilitating dwellings must be filed in the name of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, with the Corporation Counsel acting as its legal representative. Any money recovered through these actions is collected by the city officer who brought the case, remitted monthly to the Commissioner of Finance, and reported monthly to the Department Commissioner. This provision establishes the procedural and financial chain of custody for enforcement-related recoveries under the Housing Maintenance Code.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers should be aware that under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2110, any enforcement action to recover code penalties or city-incurred repair costs is brought formally by the Corporation Counsel on behalf of the Department of Housing Preservation and Development—not as a private civil suit. Compliant operators generally maintain records of any city-ordered repairs or assessed penalties so they can track and respond to official proceedings accurately. Understanding that recovered funds flow directly to the city's finance office underscores the formal, governmental nature of these enforcement actions.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants, §§ 27-2001 and 27-2110 clarify that the city—through the Department of Housing Preservation and Development and the Corporation Counsel—is the party that pursues legal action to enforce Housing Maintenance Code penalties and recover repair costs, not individual tenants. This means the enforcement mechanism is governmental, and tenants who believe violations exist in their building can report conditions to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which has the authority to initiate these proceedings. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how this enforcement structure interacts with other remedies that may be available to them.
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.
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