Property owners who repeatedly violate building codes and fail to correct potentially dangerous conditions will face mandatory penalties under a law signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul.
The law, sponsored by Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-New City, adds to the current penalties by imposing a minimum fine of $25 a day after 180 days of a property being in violation. An unaddressed violation after 360 days would bring a minimum penalty of $50 a day.
The maximum code violation penalty remains $1,000 a day that could be levied by a judge. But Zebrowski said the amount is rarely imposed so he and state Sen. Rachel May, D-Onondaga, proposed strengthening code violation penalties. Zebrowski and May said the tougher fine structure is meant to push municipal governments to act faster on properties that are not up to code and have languished for months with token fines put in place.