Dozens of Queens homeowners and business owners have already participated in a new education campaign by the city’s Department of Buildings called “Getting Summonses Corrected.” This initiative aims to help property owners resolve open DOB-issued violations on their properties.
Open violations can make it difficult for a property owner to obtain a mortgage from a bank, obtain homeowners insurance and sell their property.
The DOB’s Administrative Enforcement Unit (AEU) has set up shop at Queens Borough Hall to offer one-on-one assistance to any Queens property owner who needs help resolving their open DOB-issued violations.
Normally located at DOB’s Manhattan headquarters, the AEU team will be at Queens Borough Hall all day from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on May 8, 15 and 22. Additionally, they will be in the Queens office for a scheduled after-hours customer service event from 4-7 p.m. on May 21.
“Having open violations or summonses on your property can really throw a wrench in things when you’re trying to sell or get a mortgage, not to mention the costly financial penalties and potential safety issues that arise from unresolved violating conditions,” said Shamonda Graham, Executive Director of DOB’s Administrative Enforcement Unit. “Our Get Summonses Corrected campaign was launched in Queens to help New Yorkers cut through the red tape when filing the required documents to resolve them; stop by the Queens Borough Office in Borough Hall. We can help you through the process and ensure your property has a clean bill of health.”
Many of these issues can be addressed by filling out forms and providing receipts. In many cases, the AEU team can resolve violations in the DOB system for the owners during a session at Queens Borough Hall, located at 120-50 Queens Blvd. in Kew Gardens.
“Many property owners may have forgotten or not realized that they have open violations, some of which can be severely hazardous. We want to prevent tragedies such as deaths caused by flooded illegal basement apartments during IDA, fires resulting from unpermitted or faulty electrical and gas work and injuries to pedestrians from pieces falling off deteriorated building walls,” said Jamell Isidor, Assistant Commissioner for Administrative Policy and Enforcement. “Now is the time for every property owner to assess the true condition of their building and ensure it has a clean record.”
