violations nation's Profile
Author's Posts
October 23, 2009
20-y.o. HPD Violations
A few days ago my 3 family co-op (a townhouse in an historic district) got a fat envelope of 20 year old HPD violations. Almost all of them were to be remedied by two days after the envelope was postmarked. Only one violation, citing a somewhat faulty fire escape, is legitimate. Others are absurd: It seems that we can have a lock on neither the backyard door's iron gate nor on the front courtyard's basement hatch door, for instance. Open House for All at my place, it seems. Apparently the wooden roof deck is a nuisance that must be abated as well. The iron handrail on the front steps is defective -- if so, then so are the hadrails on 90% of my neighbors' homes. Any advice from violations veterans?
Author's Comments
Thanks for all the comments, which are very helpful. But what about the nonsensical violations? Our "cellar gate," i.e.,under the stoop, door is NOT a common hallway -- so why should there be a problem with egress and with having a double-cylinder lock? It's one of the two doors into our apartment. We have a common door shared by all at the top of the stoop. The same goes for the back iron gate, and for the front yard hatch. {Maybe HPD thinks this is an apartment building,when it's actually a 3-family coop.) For all I know this building was 5 floor-throughs before it was co-oped in the 70s. We can and should fix the fire escape on the back of the buildingt, but if we take off the gate locks, my apartment is unsafe and there is easy access to the two apartments on the 3-5th floors of the building.
Posted by: violations nation at October 24, 2009 4:33 PM in response to 20-y.o. HPD Violations
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
The violations are not going away just because you consider them nonsensical.
Visit the HPD borough office and discuss them in person. Bring current documentation for the buidling (even though HPD should be able to access online). Leave your attitude and outrage home, and ask for help understanding and curing the violations. On the basis of your visit, you'll be able to figure out whether you can remedy the situation on your own, or need to hire a professional.
HPD Division of Code Enforcement, 210 Joralemon St., #806, 718-802-3662
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/pr/violation.shtml
http://www.nyc.gov/html/hpd/html/owners/aep.shtml
Posted by: vinca at October 25, 2009 10:38 AM in response to 20-y.o. HPD Violations
Thanks, Vinca. I am venting my aggravation (not at outrage just yet) on this forum , and know to be polite with anyone at HPD, but thanks for the warning. As far as I can tell MANY corners were cut initally when this building was bought by the guy who turned it coop, so maybe the bizarre stuff will go away once I find out more.
Posted by: violations nation at October 25, 2009 12:58 PM in response to 20-y.o. HPD Violations
Thanks, Vinca. I am venting my aggravation (not at outrage just yet) on this forum , and know to be polite with anyone at HPD, but thanks for the warning. As far as I can tell MANY corners were cut initally when this building was bought by the guy who turned it coop, so maybe the bizarre stuff will go away once I find out more.
Posted by: violations nation at October 25, 2009 12:58 PM in response to 20-y.o. HPD Violations