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Q&A
Vacate orders issued by HPD and Department of Buildings
0:27:22
ยท
4 min
Council Member Sanchez inquires about the criteria and statistics for vacate orders issued by HPD and the Department of Buildings. Representatives from both agencies provide detailed responses.
- HPD issues vacate orders for maintenance issues, fire damage, and lack of essential services
- In 2024, HPD issued 615 vacate orders, with 334 related to fires
- Department of Buildings issues vacates for imminently perilous conditions
- In 2024, DOB issued 1,856 vacates, with 485 full vacates and 1,030 partial vacates currently in place
- HPD tries to avoid issuing vacate orders when possible, working to restore conditions quickly
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:27:22
Thank you so much.
0:27:23
That was my first question.
0:27:25
Just clarity on July.
0:27:29
Second question is related to vacate orders.
0:27:33
So contributing to the confusion and honestly exasperation that residents feel on the ground is unclarity about who is responsible for what.
0:27:43
So can you share with us the breakdown of when is it that Department of Buildings issues a vacate order, when is it that HPD issues a vacate order?
0:27:52
And how many vacate orders by agencies by agency has been issued for instance in the last year?
AnnMarie Santiago
0:28:03
I guess I can start.
0:28:06
So for HPD, generally our vacate orders are issued for maintenance issues such as fire damage, fire damaged walls, water damage caused by putting out the fire, and lack of essential services.
0:28:24
Right?
0:28:25
So sometimes electricity is is affected most seriously by fire, whether the fire happens in that area of the building or not.
0:28:35
If a roof is missing and there's obviously damage inside the building, those issues or if significant amount of windows and doors are broken in addition to fire damage within apartments, HPD vacate orders would be issued.
0:28:52
In 2024, calendar year 2024, HPD issued overall 615 vacate orders.
0:29:02
334 of those were related to fire.
0:29:08
Of those, 35 were full vacates, meaning the full building was vacated, and 299 were partial, meaning it could be as little as one unit or, you know, some number of units in the building.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:29:25
Thank you.
0:29:26
Thank you so much.
0:29:26
And buildings?
Yigal Shemash
0:29:29
From the Department of Buildings standpoint, we issue vacates when conditions are observed are imminently perilous, dangerous, or detrimental to life, public safety.
0:29:43
And our building code has six specific instances where we would issue a vacate.
0:29:49
Dangerous structural conditions, dangerous facade conditions, inadequate fire protection, inadequate egress, improper storage of hazardous combustible or toxic materials, or defective or unlawful gas work.
0:30:05
In terms of number of vacates, in calendar year 2024, we issued 1,856 vacates.
0:30:17
Of those, we have partially lifted 39, completely lifted 02/1989.
0:30:29
The breakdown for, partial versus full, right now, we currently have 485 full vacates in place and 1,030 partial vacates in place, again, for calendar year 2024.
AnnMarie Santiago
0:30:44
And council member, I'm sorry.
0:30:45
If I can add one additional thing.
0:30:48
When we respond to a fire, our first, option is to not vacate.
0:30:53
Right?
0:30:53
The the agency tries to do everything it can to ensure that conditions are restored as quickly as possible in order to avoid a vacate.
0:31:01
So if they're the only issue for example is no electric to the building, you know working in coordination with NISM and other agencies on the ground, DOB, Con Edison or National Grid, you know the goal is to enable people to stay if the rest of the conditions are such that they don't pose an immediate threat.
Pierina Ana Sanchez
0:31:22
Thank you, thank you Deputy Commissioner.
0:31:25
In DOB, how many of these open vacates, partial or full, how many of these are related to a fire?
Yigal Shemash
0:31:38
I don't have that breakdown but I can certainly get it for you.