Tackling NYC HPD Violations: A Case Study
When a bank’s underwriter flagged 47 open HPD violations on a commercial property, the owner’s refinancing application came to a complete stop. The lender would not proceed until every violation was resolved and documented. The property owner could not produce the original violation notices. Some violations were years old. The property registration with HPD had not been kept current. What could have been a straightforward refinancing turned into a multi-month compliance project — one that required coordination across licensed trades, regulatory agencies, and multiple inspection processes before the bank would move forward.
- 47 open HPD violations blocked a commercial property refinancing
- Bank underwriter required full resolution before proceeding
- Owner could not produce original violation notices — required independent research
- Violations ranged from lead-based paint and mold to heat, hot water, and window guards
- All Boro Expediter managed the full resolution process through final Certification of Correction
How Did 47 HPD Violations Block a Refinancing?
The property owner came to All Boro Expediter after the bank’s underwriter issued a condition: resolve all 47 HPD violations before the refinancing could proceed. The owner had no records of the original violation notices — many had been issued years earlier under prior management. The property registration with HPD was out of date, which created additional complications because HPD uses registration data to identify the responsible party for violations and to schedule inspections.
Before any violation could be addressed, the property registration had to be corrected. Without accurate registration, HPD’s records would reflect incorrect ownership or contact information, which complicates the certification of correction process and can lead to rejected filings. Once registration was updated, All Boro Expediter researched each of the 47 violations individually through HPD’s online system to identify the violation class, required corrective action, and status of each one.
What Types of HPD Violations Were Found?
The 47 open violations ranged from lead-based paint and mold conditions to heat, hot water, and missing window guards — a mix of classes issued over several years, many under prior management. Because the owner could not produce the original notices, each one had to be researched independently before correction work could be scheduled.
| Class | Types Found | Action Required |
|---|---|---|
| Class A (Non-Hazardous) | Locks, minor plumbing deficiencies, administrative requirements | Correct within 90 days; file certification of correction |
| Class B (Hazardous) | Window guards, heat and hot water deficiencies, mold conditions | Correct within 30 days; licensed trade required for some; file certification |
| Class C (Immediately Hazardous) | Lead-based paint conditions, absence of heat or hot water in winter | Correct within 24 hours to 21 days depending on specific violation; HPD inspection required |
How Were the 47 HPD Violations Resolved?
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1. Update Property Registration | Filed current property registration with HPD to ensure all filings and certifications would be accepted under the correct owner information |
| 2. Research Each Violation | Pulled the record for each of the 47 violations individually through HPD’s online system; identified class, required correction, and deadline for each |
| 3. Coordinate Licensed Trades | Arranged licensed and insured tradesmen for work requiring licensed professionals — plumbing, lead paint remediation, HVAC for heat/hot water issues |
| 4. Manage Physical Repairs | Oversaw correction of all physical conditions — window guards installed, locks replaced, mold remediated, heat and hot water systems repaired |
| 5. Complete Required Forms | Prepared all HPD certification forms and documentation for each violation; ensured documentation matched HPD’s specific requirements by violation type |
| 6. Coordinate Inspections | Scheduled and managed HPD inspections for violations requiring in-person verification before certification would be accepted |
| 7. File Certification of Correction | Filed Certification of Correction for all 47 violations through HPD’s online portal; confirmed clearance of each violation from the HPD record |
Two administrative failures made this project significantly harder than it needed to be. First, the property registration with HPD had not been kept current — this is a required annual filing for most multi-unit buildings, and it is often overlooked by owners who don’t know about the requirement. Second, the owner did not retain the original violation notices. HPD violations do not disappear when the owner ignores them — they accumulate on the property record and surface at the worst possible time, such as during a refinancing or sale. Maintain your HPD registration annually, and keep records of every violation and every certification you file. These documents can take months to reconstruct and cost significantly more to resolve when the bank is waiting.
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What Was the Outcome of the HPD Violation Cleanup?
After All Boro Expediter completed the process — updating registration, researching violations, coordinating trades, managing repairs, and filing certifications — all 47 violations were cleared from the HPD record. The bank’s underwriter confirmed the property was in compliance, and the refinancing proceeded. What appeared to be an insurmountable obstacle was resolved through systematic, methodical work — but it took time, licensed professionals, and knowledge of how HPD’s systems and requirements actually work.
Contact All Boro Expediter if HPD violations are blocking your refinancing or sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if HPD violations block a refinance?
Lenders and their underwriters routinely search HPD records as part of the due diligence process for commercial and residential refinancing. If open violations are found, the underwriter will typically issue a condition requiring all violations to be resolved before the loan can close. The borrower must correct the underlying conditions, file certifications with HPD, and in some cases pass HPD inspections before the violations are removed from the record. This process can take weeks to months depending on the number and type of violations.
What is a Certification of Correction for HPD violations?
A Certification of Correction is the official document filed with HPD confirming that the condition cited in a violation has been corrected. For most violations, the property owner or their representative files the certification online through HPD’s system, along with any required supporting documentation. For some Class C violations and lead paint conditions, HPD may require an in-person inspection to verify the correction before the certification is accepted. Filing the certification is the required step to close out a violation — the correction alone is not enough without the filing.
How does All Boro Expediter help with HPD violations?
All Boro Expediter handles the full resolution process: updating property registration, researching each violation to understand the required correction and deadline, coordinating licensed and insured tradesmen, managing the physical repairs, preparing and filing certifications, and coordinating any required HPD inspections. Property owners dealing with large numbers of violations, missing documentation, or time pressure from a pending sale or refinancing benefit most from having an experienced expediter manage the process from start to finish.
