NYC Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2021 · cited Jun 12, 1990 – Jul 24, 2026
8,852 NYC housing violations have been issued under NYC Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2021, which is 0.1% of every HPD violation attributed to a section. 2,153 are still open.
The most common orders written under this section, in HPD’s own wording.
| BROOKLYN | 899 | |
|---|---|---|
| MANHATTAN | 546 | |
| BRONX | 484 | |
| QUEENS | 216 | |
| STATEN ISLAND | 8 |
§ 27-2021 Receptacles for waste matter.
a. The owner or occupant in control of a dwelling shall provide and maintain metal cans, or other receptacles jointly approved as to specifications by the department, the department of sanitation and the department of health and mental hygiene, for the exclusive use of each building, which shall be of sufficient size and number to contain the wastes accumulated in such building during a period of seventy-two hours. No receptacle shall be filled to a height so as to prevent the effective closure thereof and no receptacle shall weigh more than one hundred pounds when filled. The receptacles shall be so constructed as to hold their contents without leakage. Metal cans shall be provided with tight-fitting covers and other receptacles shall be effectively closed. When requested by the department of sanitation, the owner or occupant in control shall separate and place in separate receptacles, ashes, organic and inorganic wastes. Nothing contained in this subdivision shall prevent the department, the department of sanitation and the department of health and mental hygiene from jointly approving as to specifications other systems for the disposal of waste utilizing containers of larger size and different construction as may be appropriate for such systems.
b. Metal cans shall be kept within the dwelling or as required by the department until the time for removal of their contents when they shall be placed in front of the dwelling. When inside storage is required, receptacles of other materials shall be kept in a metal can or a ratproof and fireproof room until the time of their removal when they shall be removed from the metal can and be neatly stacked in front of the dwelling. After the contents have been removed by the department of sanitation, any receptacles remaining shall be returned promptly to their place of storage. Metal cans shall be kept covered at all times and shall be disinfected regularly and maintained in a sanitary condition. Yard sweepings, hedge cuttings, grass, leaves, earth, stone, or bricks shall not be mixed with household wastes.
c. Newspapers, wrapping paper, or other inorganic wastes which are likely to be blown or scattered about the streets shall be securely bundled, tied or packed before being placed for collection. Such material shall be kept and placed for collection in the same manner as the receptacles.
Current through Local Law 2026/116, enacted July 11, 2026 · enacted municipal law, in the public domain · official publication
NYC Housing Maintenance Code § 27-2021, "Receptacles for waste matter", is cited on a violation when an HPD inspector finds the condition it covers. The owner or occupant in control of a dwelling shall provide and maintain metal cans, or other receptacles jointly approved as to specifications by the department, the department of sanitation and the department of health and mental hygiene, for the exclusive use of each building, which shall be of sufficient size and number to contain the wastes accumulated in such building during a period of seventy-two hours. No receptacle shall be filled to a height so as to prevent the effective closure thereof and no receptacle shall weigh more than one hundred pounds when filled. The receptacles shall be so constructed as to hold their contents without leakage. Metal cans shall be provided with tight-fitting covers and other receptacles shall be effectively closed. When requested by the department of sanitation, the owner or occupant in control shall separate and place in separate receptacles, ashes, organic and inorganic wastes. Nothing contained in this subdivision shall prevent the department, the department of sanitation and the department of health and mental hygiene from jointly approving as to specifications other systems for the disposal of waste utilizing containers of larger size and different construction as may be appropriate for such systems.
2,153 § 27-2021 violations are open as of Aug 4, 2026.
Counted from HPD’s Housing Maintenance Code Violations dataset. Each notice is attributed to a section by HPD’s own order number where one is on record, otherwise by the section its notice text cites. Figures recomputed Aug 4, 2026.
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