Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 54 § 54-9

Lead-safe hazard reduction and control

In Force
Verified 10/12/2026 · Next check 11/11/2026
SyracuseRRP

Operative Text

Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 54 § 54-9
(a) No person shall disturb or remove lead-based paint or in any other way generate excessive dust or debris during work on the interior or exterior of any existing building or structure except in accordance with the requirements of this section and sections 54-10 and 54-11 . Any home improvement contractor, property management firm, handyman or other person engaging in renovation work that involves window replacement or that disturbs more than six square feet of interior, and/or more than 20 square feet of exterior, paint or surface coating, in a residential building or child-occupied facility for which the original construction was completed prior to January 1, 1978, must possess an EPA RRP certification and be employed by an EPA certified firm.
(b) Exemptions. This section shall not apply to activities that disturb or remove paint where the activities are being performed on buildings on which construction was completed on or after January 1, 1978.
(c) Sign required when exterior lead-based paint (or presumed lead-based paint) is disturbed.
(1) Not later than the commencement date of any lead-based paint hazard reduction work, the owner, or the contractor when the owner has entered into a contract with a contractor to perform such work on the exterior of a building or structure, shall post signs in a location or locations clearly visible to the adjacent properties stating the following:
LEAD-BASED PAINT HAZARD REDUCTION WORK IN PROGRESS
PUBLIC ACCESS TO WORK AREA PROHIBITED
POSTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER 54 OF THE CITY OF SYRACUSE CODE
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PHONE (315) 448-8695
(2) The sign required by subsection (c)(1) shall be not less than twenty-four (24) inches square and shall be in large boldface capital letters no less than one-half (½) inch in size, and shall contain the notification in both English and Spanish. The sign required by this subsection shall remain in place until the lead-based paint hazard reduction work has been completed.
(3) Where it is not possible to post signs in a conspicuous location or locations clearly visible to the adjacent properties, the owner or, where the owner has entered into a contract with a contractor to perform lead-based paint hazard reduction work, the contractor shall provide the notice in written form, such as a letter or memorandum, to the occupants of adjacent properties.
(d) Notice to tenants. Where lead-based paint hazard reduction work is to be performed on the interior or exterior of buildings occupied by one or more tenants, not less than three business days before any lead-based paint hazard reduction work is to commence the owner shall provide the following information:
(1) Contents of notice. Provide written notice to tenants of the building on which the work is being performed that lead-based paint hazard reduction work is being performed. This notice, which shall be in both English and Spanish, shall be in compliance with the EPA pre-renovation notification rules set forth in 40 CFR Part 745, Subpart E, shall be in the form of a sign, letter or memorandum, and shall prominently state the following:
Work is scheduled to be performed beginning ________ (date) on this property that may disturb or remove lead-based paint. The persons performing this work are required to follow federal and local laws regulating work with lead-based paint. You may obtain information regarding these laws, or report any suspected violations of these laws, by calling the city of Syracuse at _______ (a number to be designated by the city). The owner of this property is also required to provide tenants with a copy of the lead hazard information pamphlet. Retaliatory action against tenants is prohibited by section 54-14 of this chapter.
(2) The owner shall provide all tenants in the building with a copy of the lead hazard information pamphlet.
(e) Notice by contractor. Where lead-based paint hazard reduction work is being performed by a contractor on residential property, the contractor shall, at least three (3) business days prior to the commencement of such work, notify the property owner of potential lead hazards during the project by delivering to the owner a copy of the lead hazard information pamphlet.
(f) Early commencement of work by owner. A property owner may commence, or may authorize a contractor to commence, lead-based paint hazard reduction work less than three business days after providing notices required above when such work must be commenced immediately to correct an emergency condition, such as work necessitated by non-routine failures of equipment, that were not planned but result from a sudden, unexpected event that, if not immediately attended to, presents a safety or public health hazard, or threatens equipment and/or property with significant damage.
(g) Early commencement of work requested by tenant. Upon written request of a tenant, an owner may commence, or authorize a contractor to commence, lead-based paint hazard reduction work on that tenant's unit less than three (3) business days after providing notices required in subsection (e) above.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 54 § 54-9 establishes rules for lead-based paint hazard reduction work on buildings constructed before January 1, 1978, requiring EPA RRP certification for contractors disturbing significant paint surfaces. Before work begins, owners and contractors must post visible warning signs on the exterior and deliver written notices to tenants at least three business days in advance, in both English and Spanish. The rule also provides a narrow emergency exception allowing work to begin sooner when an immediate safety or public health hazard exists, and allows early commencement if a tenant requests it in writing.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 1, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 54 § 54-9, compliant property owners generally ensure that any contractor they hire for renovation work on pre-1978 buildings holds a valid EPA RRP certification and works for an EPA-certified firm. Owners typically post the required bilingual warning signs at least by the commencement date of exterior lead hazard work, and deliver written bilingual notices along with the lead hazard information pamphlet to all tenants no fewer than three business days before interior or exterior work begins. Owners also document any emergency conditions or tenant written requests that justify early commencement, since those are the only recognized exceptions to the advance-notice requirement.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 54 § 54-9 gives tenants the right to receive written notice—in both English and Spanish—at least three business days before lead-based paint hazard reduction work begins in or on their building, along with a copy of the lead hazard information pamphlet. The provision explicitly states that retaliatory action against tenants is prohibited under § 54-14 of the same chapter, providing a layer of protection for tenants who raise concerns or report suspected violations. Tenants who believe these notice requirements have not been met can contact the City of Syracuse using the number referenced in the required notice, or consult a tenant-rights organization to understand available enforcement paths.

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.

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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

40 C.F.R. Part 745
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Related Rules

§ 745.323
§ 745.323 Definitions.
§ 745.326
§ 745.326 Renovation: State and Tribal program requirements.
§ 35.140
§ 35.140 Prohibited methods of paint removal.

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