Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-119
Administrative liability
Operative Text
No officer, agent or employee of the city of Syracuse, shall be personally liable for any damage resulting from any official determination, order or action required or permitted in the discharge of his duties under this Code. The city of Syracuse shall defend and indemnity the director and the chief of the fire department, or other officers of their departments specifically designated and authorized by them to make such official determination, order or action in the discharge of their duties under this Code, against any judgments or liability that may arise as a result of any such official determination, order [or] action made or taken by them in the discharge of their duties under this Code.
Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 8 § 27-119 establishes a liability shield for city officials acting in their official capacity under the housing code. No officer, agent, or employee of Syracuse can be held personally responsible for damages that result from official determinations, orders, or actions they take while performing their duties. Additionally, the city itself is obligated to defend and indemnify the director, the fire department chief, and other specifically designated officers against any judgments or liability arising from those official acts.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 8 § 27-119, property owners and managers should understand that city inspectors and enforcement officers acting under the housing code carry personal liability protection. This means that legal claims arising from official code-enforcement actions are directed at the city rather than the individual officer. Operators who receive official orders or determinations from designated city personnel are dealing with actions backed by the city's indemnification commitment.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 8 § 27-119 clarifies that when city housing or fire officials take enforcement actions under the code, personal liability for those actions rests with the city of Syracuse rather than the individual officer. Tenants who believe an official determination or order was improper should be aware that any legal challenge would generally be directed toward the city as an institution. Tenant-rights organizations or legal aid resources can help explain what avenues exist for contesting official code-enforcement decisions.
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 1, 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.