There is a newer version of the New York Consolidated Laws
2006 New York Code - Powers Of The Police Commissioner With Respect To Public Nuisances.
§ 10-156 Powers of the police commissioner with respect to public nuisances. a. In addition to the enforcement procedures set forth in chapter seven of title seven of this code and any other law, the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee after notice and opportunity for a hearing shall be authorized: 1. to order the discontinuance of such activity at the building, erection or place where such public nuisance exists, and/or 2. to order the closing of the building, erection or place to the extent necessary to abate the nuisance. b. 1. Prior to the issuance of orders by the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee pursuant to subdivision a of this section, the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee shall give notice and opportunity for a hearing to the owner, lessor, lessee and mortgagee of a building, erection or place wherein the public nuisance is being conducted, maintained or permitted. Notice shall be given as follows: (a) service of a notice of hearing may be made to owners and lessors by delivering such notice to the owner or lessor or to an agent of the owner or lessor or to a person of suitable age and discretion at the residence or place of business of the owner or lessor or, if upon reasonable application such delivery cannot be completed, by affixing such notice in a conspicuous place at the owner's or lessor's place of business or residence or by placing it under the entrance door at either of such locations or by delivering such notice to a person employed by the owner or lessor on the premises at which the nuisance is located and, in all instances except personal delivery upon such owner or lessor, by mailing the notice of hearing as follows: (i) to the person registered with the department of housing preservation and development as the owner or agent of the premises, at the address filed with such department in compliance with article two of subchapter four of chapter two of title twenty-seven of the administrative code; or (ii) to the person designated as owner of the building or designated to receive real property tax or water bills for the building at the address for such person contained in one of the files compiled by the department of finance for the purpose of the assessment or collection of real property taxes and water charges or in the file compiled by the department of finance from real property transfer forms filed with the city register upon the sale or transfer of real property; or (iii) to the person in whose name the real estate affected by the order of the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee is recorded in the office of the city register or the county clerk as the case may be. (b) service of a notice of hearing may be made to an owner or lessor which is a corporation pursuant to section three hundred six of the business corporation law; (c) service of a notice of hearing may be made to lessees (i) by delivering such notice to the lessee or to a person employed by the lessee on the premises at which the nuisance is located; or (ii) by affixing such notice in a conspicuous place to the premises at which the nuisance is located or placing a copy under the entrance door of such premises and mailing a copy of such notice to the lessee at such premises; (d) service of a notice of hearing may be made to mortgagees by mailing such notice to the mortgagee at the last known residence or place of business or employment of the mortgagee;
(e) proof of service pursuant to subparagraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of this paragraph shall be filed with the commissioner or the commissioner's designee; 2. The lack of knowledge of, acquiescence or participation in or responsibility for, a public nuisance on the part of the owners, lessors, lessees, mortgagees and all those persons in possession of or having charge of as agent or otherwise, or having any interest in the property, real or personal, used in conducting or maintaining the public nuisance, shall not be a defense by such owners, lessors and lessees, mortgagees and such other persons. c. Orders of the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee issued pursuant to this section shall be posted at the building, erection or place where a public nuisance exists or is occurring in violation of law and shall be mailed to the owner of record thereof within one business day of the posting. d. On the fifth business day after the posting of an order issued pursuant to paragraphs one or two of subdivision a of this section and upon the written directive of the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee, officers of the police department are authorized to act upon and enforce such orders. e. Where the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee closes a building, erection or place pursuant to paragraph two of subdivision a of this section, such closing shall be for such period as the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee may direct but in no event shall the closing be for a period of more than one year from the posting of the order pursuant to subdivision c of this section. If the owner, lessor or lessee shall (i) file a bond in an amount determined by the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee but which may not exceed the value of the property ordered to be closed and (ii) submit proof satisfactory to the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee that the nuisance has been abated and will not be created, maintained or permitted for such period of time as the building, erection or place has been directed to be closed by the order of the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee, then the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee may vacate the provisions of the order that direct the closing of the building, erection or place. f. A closing directed by the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee pursuant to paragraph two of subdivision a of this section shall not constitute an act of possession, ownership or control by the city of the closed premises. g. It shall be a misdemeanor for any person to use or occupy or to permit any other person to use or occupy any building, erection or place, or portion thereof, ordered closed by the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee. Mutilation or removal of a posted order of the police commissioner shall be punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars or by imprisonment not exceeding fifteen days, or both, provided such order contains therein a notice of such penalty. h. Intentional disobedience or resistance to any provision of the orders issued by the police commissioner or such commissioner's designee pursuant to this section, in addition to any other punishment prescribed by law, shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both. i. The police commissioner may promulgate rules and regulations to carry out and give full effect to the provisions of section 10-155 and this section. Such rules and regulations shall be promulgated in accordance with section eleven hundred five of the charter.
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