Vacate Order

Call 911

Call 911 to report people currently in a building or on property with a Vacate Order in effect.

The Department of Buildings (DOB) may issue a Vacate Order to ensure public safety from damaged buildings, illegal conditions, or dangerous conditions that may exist on or near the property. The amount of time a vacate order is in effect depends on the severity of the problem and how soon an unsafe condition is corrected. Details are provided on the stickers posted on the property.

You can request information about vacate orders from the Construction Division Office in the borough where the building is located. This office's contact information will be listed on the Vacate Order.

People are not allowed to enter structures or buildings that have vacate orders in effect. If you have seen people in the building but they have already left, you can file a report. Violations are issued when appropriate.

Include in your report:

If you are the owner of the building
When the person was seen entering the building

Call 311 to report the problem.

Department of Buildings (DOB) Inspectors may issue a vacate order if they find a building to be unsafe.

You can request information about vacate orders from DOB in the borough where the building is located. DOB contact information will be listed on the Vacate Order.

Learn more about vacate orders.

Call 311 for assistance by phone.

The Department of Housing Preservation and Development's (HPD) Emergency Housing Services (EHS) unit provides emergency relocation services and rehousing assistance to renters who have been displaced from their homes as a result of fires or city-issued vacate orders. The American National Red Cross provides immediate shelter upon confirmation of fire damage and/or vacate order issuance.

In the event of a building-wide displacement as a result of a fire or vacate order, residential building owners must provide the names and apartment numbers of all legal tenants in occupancy to EHS. Building owners may be responsible for HPD shelter expenses that result from residential displacement.

Renters who need long term shelter will be contacted by EHS for eligibility assessment and registration, if eligible. Households with children will be placed in one of three Family Living Centers located in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Brooklyn. Adult-only households will be placed in single-room-occupancy hotels in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. Shelter placement is based on availability.

Please email your questions to EHS-remote@hpd.nyc.gov. Emails will be responded to within 72 business hours.

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