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| Department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1892 (1892) |
| Preceding department |
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| Jurisdiction | New York City |
| Employees | 1,722 (2020[update])[1] |
| Department executives |
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| Key document | |
| Website | nyc.gov/dob |
TheNew York City Department of Buildings (DOB) is the department of theNew York City government that enforces the city'sbuilding codes andzoning regulations, issuesbuilding permits, licenses, registers and disciplines certain construction trades, responds to structural emergencies and inspects over 1,000,000 new and existing buildings.[2][3] Its regulations are compiled in title 1 of theNew York City Rules.
Building and construction regulations have existed inNew York City since its early days asNew Amsterdam in the 17th century. A "Superintendent of Buildings" position was created within theFire Department in 1860, in response to theElm Street Fire on theLower East Side ofManhattan, which killed 20 people.[4][5][6] The first Buildings Department was created in Manhattan in 1892. In 1901 theNew York State Legislature passed theTenement Housing Act of 1901, which established a city Tenement Housing Department, including a Buildings Bureau and a Bureau of Inspection.[7] A citywide Department of Buildings though did not exist until 1936.[4]
The Department has been restructured numerous times during its existence, and the present Department of Buildings dates from 1972, when theHousing and Development Administration was split into the Department of Buildings and theDepartment of Housing Preservation and Development.[4]
Former MayorRobert F. Wagner Jr was Buildings Commissioner prior to becoming Manhattan Borough President.[8]
The Department of Buildings is overseen by a Commissioner, appointed by the Mayor, and is responsible for ensuring the agency meets the development and safety objectives determined by each current administration. The appointed commissioner isJames Oddo, since April 27, 2023.[9][10] The Department includes both development and enforcement units, overseen by numerous Deputy Commissioners that report directly to the agency Commissioner. The First Deputy Commissioner, with jurisdiction over all Borough Office operations, is second in command to the Commissioner and is responsible for running the agency in their absence.
There are five CityBorough Offices of the Department handling permitting and enforcement for each part of the City, in addition to central enforcement staff. Each office is overseen by a Borough Commissioner and one or more Deputy Borough Commissioners that report directly to the First Deputy Commissioner. The executive offices, and numerous operational and inspection units such as the Department's Emergency Response Team are located at280 Broadway in Manhattan providing centralized access to all five boroughs.
As of 2024, the Department has a staff of 1,500, includingPlan Examiners that review building plans and permit applications, and 426building inspectors[11] who visit existing buildings and new construction to ensure they are safe and comply with all applicable laws and regulations. The enforcement division also includes a Building Marshal's Office. The Department issues 140,000 work permits annually, and performs 324,000 inspections each year.[12]
The DOB contracts out building facade inspection work. This involves inspectors who are trained to inspect the facades of buildings over six stories.[13]
NYC Building Inspectors wear dark blue uniforms and carry badges to identify themselves as building inspectors.[14][15]
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