N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2118
Penalties; willful or reckless violations; false statements (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
(a) Any person who (1) Willfully or recklessly violates any provisions of this chapter; or (2) Willfully or recklessly violates, or fails to comply with, any requirement of an order of the department; or (3) Willfully makes, or causes any other person to make, any false or misleading statement on any registration statement, notice, or other document required to be filed pursuant to this chapter, or on any application, or any accompanying document, for the granting of any permit or any other action by the department pursuant to this chapter, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than ten dollars nor more than one thousand dollars for each such violation, or by imprisonment up to one year, or by both such fine and imprisonment. (b) A person commits a willful violation when such person intentionally acts, or intentionally fails to act, to cause a desired result that violates this chapter. A person commits a reckless violation when such person acts, or fails to act, with a conscious disregard of a substantial risk that the act or failure to act will result in a condition, constituting a violation of this code, which will endanger the life, health or safety of another person. (c) In a prosecution for a willful or reckless violation of a provision of this chapter, evidence of prior service of civil process or of prior judgments for civil penalties arising from the same violation, and relating to the same dwelling, shall be admissible on the issue of the defendant's knowledge of the existence of the violation. (d) Evidence that the defendant had knowledge or notice of the violation and failed to correct the same for more than six months or take reasonable action to explain to the department this failure or inability to make the correction shall be relevant on the issue of the willfulness of defendant's action. This subdivision shall not be construed to prevent conviction for a willful violation on other grounds.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2118 establish criminal liability for certain housing-code misconduct in New York City. Any person who willfully or recklessly violates the Housing Maintenance Code, ignores a department order, or submits false statements on required filings or permit applications can be charged with a misdemeanor. A conviction may result in a fine ranging from $10 to $1,000 per violation, imprisonment of up to one year, or both. The provision also defines what 'willful' and 'reckless' mean in this context and specifies what types of evidence—such as prior civil penalties or a failure to correct a known violation for more than six months—may be used to establish intent.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2118, property owners and managers who operate in good faith generally ensure that all registration statements, permit applications, and departmental filings are accurate and complete, and that they respond promptly to department orders. Operators who receive notice of a violation and take documented, reasonable steps toward correction—or communicate with the department about any inability to do so—are in a stronger position than those who allow known violations to persist beyond six months without explanation. Because prior civil judgments and service of civil process can be introduced as evidence of knowledge in a criminal proceeding, maintaining clear records of compliance efforts is a standard practice for responsible operators.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2118 provide that tenants living in buildings with persistent or deliberately ignored housing-code violations have the backing of criminal-penalty provisions, not just civil ones. If a landlord has been previously cited for the same condition affecting your dwelling and has failed to correct it, that history can be relevant evidence in a criminal prosecution. Tenants who believe their landlord is willfully or recklessly ignoring violations may report conditions to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, raise the violation as a defense in housing court proceedings, or seek guidance from a tenant-rights organization familiar with the Housing Maintenance Code.
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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