NYC Housing Preservation & Development (HPD)

What Is HPD?

The NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) is the largest municipal housing agency in the country. HPD enforces the NYC Housing Maintenance Code (HMC), the State Multiple Dwelling Law, and the State Multiple Residence Law — all of which establish minimum standards for health, safety, and habitability in residential buildings.

HPD's Code Enforcement division employs hundreds of inspectors who respond to tenant complaints filed through 311. Unlike DOB, which focuses on construction and building systems, HPD's focus is on the livability of residential units — heat, hot water, pest control, lead paint, plumbing, and general maintenance.

HPD also administers affordable housing programs, oversees rent-regulated housing, and manages the city's portfolio of in rem properties. For landlords and property managers, HPD is the agency most directly connected to tenant relations and building maintenance obligations.

HPD's Jurisdiction & Authority

HPD's enforcement authority covers all residential rental properties in NYC, including one- and two-family homes with tenants, multifamily buildings, and mixed-use buildings with residential units. Key areas include:

Limitations of HPD

Understanding what HPD does not handle helps property owners route issues correctly:

• HPD does not issue construction permits or regulate construction work — that's DOB's jurisdiction.
• HPD does not enforce fire safety codes — FDNY handles fire protection system inspections and violations.
• HPD violations do not carry direct monetary penalties like ECB summonses. Instead, HPD can bring cases in Housing Court, where judges can impose fines and order repairs.
• HPD inspectors generally require access to the specific unit where a complaint was filed. They cannot inspect the entire building based on a single-unit complaint.
• HPD does not regulate commercial spaces — only residential portions of buildings fall under HPD's authority.
• HPD cannot force tenants to grant access for repairs. Owners must document access attempts and may need to seek court orders.

How BVS Works with HPD

BVS works with residential building owners across their entire HPD portfolio — from removing individual Class C violations to coordinating multi-property compliance strategies that keep buildings out of enforcement programs like ERP and AEP.

Understand HPD Better

Reference guides for landlords, property managers, and portfolio owners new to HPD compliance:

HPD works alongside — and hands off to — several other city agencies. Construction and structural safety issues in HPD-covered buildings go to DOB. Fire safety in residential buildings involves FDNY. HPD-issued ECB summonses are adjudicated at ECB/OATH. Coordinated compliance across all four is what makes portfolio-level residential compliance work in NYC.