Indicator catalogue
Every indicator is a public city record, loaded every day and matched to the building’s owner of record and managing agent. Each record is sorted into the trade divisions it means work for, and is flagged unworked when we find no matching later permit or job filing for the same work. Here’s what each one is, why it’s a lead, and which divisions get it.
5 indicators
The city already found a problem. Somebody has to fix it.
01 · Department of Buildings
Code violations DOB issues against a building: construction, elevators, boilers, facades, plumbing and more.
Why it’s a lead. An open DOB violation stays on the building until the condition is fixed and certified, which usually means hiring someone to do the work.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
02 · Department of Buildings / OATH
Summonses DOB writes that go to an OATH hearing, with severity, the penalty imposed and the balance still due.
Why it’s a lead. A penalty on the books and a hearing on the calendar give an owner a reason to act soon.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
03 · Department of Buildings
Violations from DOB NOW: Safety, issued when a required facade, boiler, elevator or other safety inspection or filing is late or deficient.
Why it’s a lead. Each one is an owner who needs a licensed inspection and the repairs it turns up.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
04 · Housing Preservation and Development
Housing Maintenance Code violations in residential buildings, classed A (non-hazardous), B (hazardous) and C (immediately hazardous).
Why it’s a lead. Leaks, mold, broken windows, no heat, failing plaster: every open violation is a repair the landlord has to make and certify.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
05 · Housing Preservation and Development
Orders HPD issues requiring repairs, or requiring tenants to leave a building until conditions are fixed.
Why it’s a lead. An order means the city is watching. Vacated buildings need structural, fire and restoration work before anyone moves back.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
2 indicators
The earliest signal: someone reported a problem before the city wrote it up.
06 · Housing Preservation and Development
Tenant complaints to HPD, broken out by problem: heat and hot water, leaks, plaster, mold, windows, pests.
Why it’s a lead. A complaint can be the earliest sign of a repair, before an inspector writes a violation.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
07 · Department of Buildings
Complaints made to DOB about a building: work without a permit, unsafe conditions, facade and construction hazards.
Why it’s a lead. A complaint triggers an inspection. Reach the owner before it turns into a violation.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
4 indicators
Jobs being planned, staffed, finished or abandoned.
08 · Department of Buildings
Job applications filed with DOB in both BIS and DOB NOW, with job type, work description, estimated cost and status.
Why it’s a lead. Filings land before permits. See the project, the scope and the budget while the owner is still choosing a team.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
09 · Department of Buildings
Work permits DOB issues: new buildings, alterations, demolition, plumbing, equipment, sidewalk sheds and more.
Why it’s a lead. A permit means work is about to start. Subs, suppliers and specialty trades get in while the job is still being staffed.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
10 · Department of Buildings
New and amended certificates of occupancy issued by DOB.
Why it’s a lead. A new CO means a finished building with new systems to maintain, and an owner who may be lining up service contracts.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
11 · Department of Buildings
Construction sites DOB lists as stalled: work stopped with the job unfinished.
Why it’s a lead. A stalled job needs someone to secure it, finish it or take it down.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
6 indicators
Required inspections, with the results, ratings and dates that turn into work.
12 · Department of Buildings
Local Law 11 facade inspection (FISP) reports filed as UNSAFE or SWARMP, with the filing date and cycle.
Why it’s a lead. Under DOB’s facade rules, owners must correct unsafe conditions within 90 days of filing the technical report, unless DOB grants an extension. An UNSAFE filing is a facade repair the owner has to schedule.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily · Browse the free Brooklyn sample
13 · Department of Buildings
Active sidewalk shed permits, with the number of days each shed has been up.
Why it’s a lead. A shed that has been up for years often points to facade work that has not been finished, and an owner paying for the shed every month.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
14 · Department of Buildings
Boiler inspection filings from DOB NOW: Safety, device by device, with inspection dates and whether defects were found.
Why it’s a lead. A filing with defects is a repair job, and an overdue or aging boiler may need replacing.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
15 · Department of Buildings
Elevator safety compliance filings for each device: periodic inspections and tests.
Why it’s a lead. A failed or late test means the device has to be repaired and retested.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
16 · Department of Buildings
Local Law 126 parking structure inspections, with the condition each garage was rated.
Why it’s a lead. A garage rated unsafe or in need of repair is a concrete, waterproofing and restoration job waiting to be bid.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
17 · Department of Buildings
Annual energy and water use that large buildings report under Local Law 84, with ENERGY STAR scores.
Why it’s a lead. High use and low scores flag buildings due for retrofits: boilers, HVAC, windows, insulation and controls.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
1 indicator
New owners, new budgets.
18 · Department of Finance
Building sales recorded by the Department of Finance, with sale date and price.
Why it’s a lead. New owners often renovate, reposition and rebid service contracts. Reach them early with a specific offer.
Official New York City building records, refreshed daily.
New in the directory
Record types the directory added since this page was written, with their live counts.
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