Int. No. 925-A
By Council Members Louis, Cabán, Brannan, Schulman, Marte, Sanchez, Joseph, Hanif, Krishnan, Gutiérrez, Abreu, Dinowitz, Avilés, De La Rosa, Salaam, Hanks, Bottcher, Banks, Ayala, Hudson, Brewer, Williams, Ung, Nurse, Zhuang, Feliz, Salamanca, Ossé, Narcisse, Riley, Won, Stevens, Menin, Brooks-Powers, Gennaro, Farías, Vernikov and the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams)
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to requiring the inspection of steam radiators in multiple dwellings
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Subchapter 2 of chapter 2 of title 27 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new article 15 to read as follows:
ARTICLE 15
INSPECTION OF STEAM RADIATORS
§ 27-2056.21 Definitions. For the purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings:
Common area. The term “common area” means a portion of a multiple dwelling that is not within a dwelling unit and is regularly used by occupants for access to and egress from any dwelling unit within such multiple dwelling.
Covered dwelling unit. The term “covered dwelling unit” means any dwelling unit where a child under the age of 6 resides.
Covered multiple dwelling. The term “covered multiple dwelling” means a multiple dwelling in which there is at least 1 covered dwelling unit.
Inspector. The term “inspector” means a licensed master plumber, high-pressure boiler operating engineer or stationary engineer, oil burning equipment installer, mechanical contractor, building superintendent, heating plant technician employed by the New York city housing authority, heating maintenance worker employed by the New York city housing authority, an individual working under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed master plumber, an individual working under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed high-pressure boiler operating engineer or stationary engineer, an individual working under the direct and continuing supervision of a licensed oil burning equipment installer, or an individual working under the direct and continuing supervision of a mechanical contractor that conducts inspections of steam radiators pursuant to this article.
Steam radiator. The term “steam radiator” means a heat exchanger that is a component of a central heating system that uses steam to provide heat to rooms.
§ 27-2056.22 Owner’s responsibility to inspect steam radiators. a. At least once every 2 years, the owner of a covered multiple dwelling shall cause an inspection to be conducted of all steam radiators located in all covered dwelling units and common areas within the covered multiple dwelling.
b. When conducting an inspection pursuant to subdivision a of this section, the inspector shall inspect each component of the steam radiator to determine if it is in safe operating condition, in conjunction with any inspection requirements established by department rulemaking. A visual inspection shall also be performed for indicators of possible defects or damage of the steam radiator, including, but not limited to, leaking water, browning floors or walls, signs of corrosion on the steam radiator or its surrounding surfaces, or any other evidence of water damage.
c. If an inspection reveals a defect or damage of a steam radiator, the inspector shall notify the tenant, the owner, and the department within 48 hours. The owner shall correct such defect or damage within 14 days of the inspection. If an inspection reveals that any steam radiator is in a condition that is likely to be hazardous to life or safety, the owner shall take the steam radiator out of service within 24 hours of such inspection and must repair or replace the steam radiator within 7 days of the inspection.
d. Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, nothing herein shall be construed to alter existing or future agreements which allocate responsibility for compliance with the provisions of this article between a tenant shareholder and a cooperative corporation or between the owner of a condominium unit and the board of managers of such condominium.
e. The provisions of this article shall not apply to a covered dwelling unit in a covered multiple dwelling where (i) title to such multiple dwelling is held by a cooperative housing corporation or such dwelling unit is owned as a condominium unit, and (ii) such dwelling unit is occupied by the shareholder of record on the proprietary lease for such dwelling unit or the owner of record of such condominium unit, as is applicable, or the shareholder’s or record owner’s family.
§ 27-2056.23 Qualifications and recordkeeping. a. The department may promulgate rules establishing additional requirements and procedures for building superintendents conducting steam radiator inspections pursuant to this article.
b. The department shall develop informational materials and a checklist indicating best practices for building superintendents conducting steam radiator inspections, including but not limited to components that shall be inspected in the course of an inspection.
c. The owner shall maintain a record of each inspection of a steam radiator as required by section 27-2056.22. Such record shall include:
1. The address of the multiple dwelling;
2. The dwelling unit where the steam radiator is located and the location of the steam radiator within the dwelling unit;
3. The name and address of the inspector;
4. The license number of the inspector or license number of the individual providing direct and continuing supervision of the inspector, as applicable;
5. A self-certification by the building owner indicating that the building superintendent that conducted the inspection reviewed the informational materials provided by the department pursuant to subdivision b of this section, if applicable;
6. The date of the inspection;
7. The results of the inspection, including the status of each component of the steam radiator, any noted visual indicators of possible defects or damage of the steam radiator, and if a condition likely to be hazardous to life or safety was determined to be present; and
8. Any actions taken to remediate a defect, damage, or hazardous condition, if applicable.
d. An owner who fails to maintain such records in accordance with this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $500.
§ 27-2056.24 Notification to tenants. a. All leases offered to tenants in covered multiple dwellings shall contain notice, conspicuously set forth therein, which advises tenants of the obligation of the owner of the covered multiple dwelling to inspect steam radiators in dwelling units where a child under the age of 6 resides.
b. Each year for a dwelling unit for which an inspection pursuant to section 27-2056.22 did not occur in the prior calendar year, an owner of a covered multiple dwelling shall, no earlier than January 1 and no later than January 16, present to the occupant of each such dwelling unit in such multiple dwelling a notice inquiring as to whether a child under the age of 6 resides therein. Such notice shall be presented as provided for in subdivision c of this section, and shall, at minimum, be in English and Spanish. Notice given pursuant to subdivision e of section 27-2056.4 shall satisfy the requirement of notice in this subdivision.
c. The owner may present the notice required by subdivision b of this section by delivering the notice by any one of the following methods:
1. By first class mail, addressed to the occupant of the dwelling unit;
2. By hand delivery to the occupant of the dwelling unit; or
3. By enclosure with the January rent bill.
d. Upon receipt of such notice, the occupant shall have the responsibility to deliver by February 15 of that year, a written response to the owner indicating whether or not a child under the age of 6 resides therein. If, subsequent to the delivery of such notice, the owner does not receive such written response by February 15, and does not otherwise have actual knowledge as to whether a child under the age of 6 resides therein, the owner shall notify the department of that circumstance no later than March 1 of that year.
e. An owner who fails to present notice in accordance with this section shall be liable for a civil penalty of not more than $500.
§ 2. This local law takes effect 180 days after it becomes law.
REC/APM
LS #16154
10/1/25 3:28pm