COVID-19 NYC SERVICE UPDATES

To ensure compliance with employer safety plans, the DOB is conducting a safety sweep of every permitted construction site in NYC and, beginning on July 8th, the DOB will be issuing violations that carry a financial penalty of $5,000 for construction sites found out of compliance. The DOB will also be issuing Stop Work Orders if a site does not have a Safety Plan and State Affirmation conspicuously posted and/or is lacking proper hand hygiene stations. Stop Work Orders will also be issued if five or more violating conditions are observed on the site. 

Refer to our article on How to meet the DOB's new guidelines for construction site safety to avoid receiving violation fees and Stop Work Orders.

• • 
    
    • DOB’s Phase 1 Reopening Guidance
    • Frequently Asked Questions on Phase 1 (updated 7/7/20)
    • New NYS Interim Guidelines
    • BB 2020-010: Guidance for reopening sites whose operations were suspended due to COVID-19
    • DOB map of Essential Active Construction Sites
    • DOB map of Non-Essential Active Construction Sites (NEW)

Please visit the NYC DOB COVID-19 Response Page for the following COVID-19 Service Updates:

• • • DOB Guidance Document on the Enforcement of Essential vs. Nonessential Construction
    • Frequently Asked Questions on Essential and Non-Essential Construction (updated 5/18/20)
    • Refer to Empire State Development's Guidance on what is considered an "Essential Business" (updated 6/8/20).

AUGUST

• Permits will no longer receive automatic extensions: All licenses/registrations and permits issued by the DOB with an original expiration date on or after August 7, 2020 will expire on that original expiration date.

• The Benchmarking Deadline for building owners to submit their energy and water consumption data is August 1st (extended from May 1st due to COVID-19). In compliance with LL 95, owners must obtain their Building Energy Efficiency Rating on October 1^st and display it within 30 days.
• On July 8th the DOB launched a new Stop Work Orders Rescission Portal to rescind COVID-19 safety guidance SWOs
• Beginning July 3rd, the NYC DOT's Open Restaurants program will expand weekend seating options for restaurants on select corridors by temporarily closing streets to traffic to create outdoor dining space. 
• The Landmarks Preservation Commission has launched a new Recovery Team to support business recovery and make it easier to apply for permits necessary to reopen businesses. Certain work types qualify for Expedited Recovery Review. Learn more here 
  

JUNE

• As of Monday, June 1, initial permits may be requested for DOB NOW applications.
• As of Wednesday, June 3, initial permit documents may be submitted in the eSubmit portal.  Permits will no longer be accepted in person and must be processed as Hub Full-Service or Hub Self-Service applications in eFiling.
• Inspections requests can be submitted in DOB NOW: Inspections for all projects.  Although, a date will not be scheduled until the state of emergency is lifted. Refer to the DOB's 5.28.20 Service Notice for more information.
• LL 87 Energy Efficiency Report Submission: Owners who can't meet the 12/31/20 deadline may file for a 6-month extension.

MAY

• Postponed Rule Hearings are now scheduled to take place via WebEx (Updated)
• All Permits and Certificates of Authorization due to expire during the suspension period have been extended to June 7th, 2020. Approved sites must post an updated Certificate of Authorization, which can be printed from the DOB NOW Public Portal. 
• Reminder: License Renewal Applications must be submitted online as of May 8 (5/8/20)
• Place of Assembly applications and Place of Assembly Certificate of Operations (PACO) have resumed processing in DOB NOW. TPA filings remain suspended (5/6/20)
• Effective Mon., May 4th, License Renewal Applications can be submitted online (5/1/20)
  

APRIL

• Letter of Completion and Certificate of Occupancy Requests can be submitted in eFiling for processing and HUB Full Service (pro-cert review) is now back in eFiling (4/27/20)
• Crane Filings to launch in DOB NOW: Build on Mon., April 27th and Certificate of Correction Requests can be submitted in DOB NOW after May 1st (4/23/20)
• Permit Renewal Extension - Permits due to expire during the suspension period will be extended to May 9th, 2020 (4/22/20)
• LL84 and LL133 Benchmarking Deadline extended from May 1, 2020 to August 1, 2020 / DOB Violation Payments (4/21/20)
• Essential Construction requests portal updated to enable submission of Electrical, LAA permits and demolition filings (4/21/20)
• License Renewal Extension and Essential Construction Requests Update (4/17/20)
• COVID-19 Response: Post Approval Amendments and Immediately Hazardous Violation Civil Penalty Payments
• Suspension of all work on nonessential construction and demolition sites - new Certificate of Authorization requirement (UPDATED 4/15/20)
• Application Processing (UPDATED 4/15/20)
• On April 9, 2020, ESD added Financial Institutions and hotels to their list of essential businesses. 
• COVID-19 Response: Certificates of Correction and Temporary Certificate of Occupancy Renewal Payments (4/6/20)
• Weekly Safety Inspection Reports and New Customer Service Office Hours (4/3/20)
• An Essential Construction questionnaire is now required for new Electrical and Limited Alteration Applications (4/2/20)
• Benchmarking Reporting: Guidance Regarding Building Characteristics (4/2/20)
• Online Payments for Civil Penalty Review Requests (L2) and Post Approval Amendment (PAA) (4/1/20)

• Litigation Papers, Subpoenas and FOIL Requests (3/27/20)
• Cranes and Derricks, eFiling Authentication, Limited Alteration Applications, Local Law Enforcement and Permit Renewals (3/24/20)
• Appointments for Standard Plan Examinations (3/20/20)
• Full Demolition and Site Safety Plans (3/19/20)
• Violations and Stop Work Orders (3/19/20)
• Administrative Enforcement (AEU) and Licensing Units Updates (3/17/20)