DOB says 4 Family but HPD says 2... Is this going to be a major problem?

I am about to put an offer for 4Fam brownstone. DOB says 4FAM and has CO (from 80s) indicates 4 as well. However it looks like the current owner never bothered to register with HPD and is listed as 2\. If I were to purchase it and to try to register, what sort of trouble can I expect? There are sprinklers in the building already.

ccal76

in About Brooklyn 9 years and 10 months ago

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vitent640 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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The CO trumps it all. So if the CO has it as a 4-family, then it’s a 4-family. Period. That said, you will have to notify the DOB (if you plan to do some renovation work) and the DOF so that they can update the info in their systems. The only downside is that you might have to pay higher property tax when the DOF changes it from a 2- to a 4-family.

dazednconfused2 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Where does the DOB state 4 family? If the DOB website’s page says 4 family, then you may be seeing the DOF (Dept of Finance) classification, in which case the DOB will use the HPD classification. If it’s on the C of O, then that governs. If there is no C of O listing it as a 4 family, it may be that the work to convert it to a 4 family was never filed. You need to check the DOB list of applications to see if there is an approved, signed off application in which it was converted to a 4 family. First look in Jobs/Filings to see if there is a relatively recent application. If there is no such application there, then check the list of Actions. If you can’t find evidence of it being converted to a 4 family, then work was done without a permit, and it is currently being used contrary to the C of O (even if there is no C of O as it goes by the HPD classification). If this is the case, to occupy the building legally as a 4 family, you will need to file an application with the DOB, documenting all work to convert from a 2 to a 4 family, even if that work has already been done, and apply for a new C of O. Warning: changing the occupancy group in this way will likely trigger sprinklers for the entire house, every room not just the hallways. Do as much research as possible on this one. There may be a can of worms here.

resident2 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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This is unfortunately quite common for one department to not keep up with what another department is doing among City Agencies. Yes, you should get it registered properly with HPD as a four family, so that you can take a tenant to Court if need be and also be in the right when the City sends notices to the wrong address and fines you for not responding. Even when you have your building properly registered they will send notices and fines to any address that they make up it seems these days, but at least if you have the building properly registered the fines with a lot of hard work, will be vacated.

ccal76 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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Yes in terms of renovation etc. However I would need to register at HPD as 4 family now and wouldn’t it cause some problems at all? Has anyone had to go through something like this?

ps158 | 9 years and 10 months ago

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If the CO on file with DOB says 4 family, then it’s a 4 family. Whatever DOB says is what it is, at least in their eyes, and they don’t care what HPD or DOF says when it comes time to renovate / file plans.