The New York City Department of Buildings recently contacted Qualified Exterior Wall Inspectors throughout the city to request their assistance in reaching building owners who have not yet filed an acceptable Cycle 9 Façade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP) report.
According to the DOB’s communication, approximately 1,900 buildings remain listed under the Cycle 9 “No Report Filed” category. The Department is asking all Qualified Exterior Wall Inspectors (QEWIs) to help notify affected owners of their responsibilities under 1 RCNY §103-04 and encourage them to take the necessary steps toward compliance.
Currently we are in the middle of Cycle 10, meaning all 1,900 of those buildings have late reports and are currently racking up fines and potentially increasing their liability with unresolved SWARMP or Unsafe conditions.
We are passing this message along at the DOB’s request. This is not intended as a promotional announcement. Rather, the DOB has specifically asked QEWIs to help reach owners whose buildings remain unfiled. Our goal is simply to make sure building owners are aware of the situation and understand that assistance is available to them.
In other words, we are asking owners to help us help them.
Why a Current SAFE Filing Matters
FISP compliance should not be viewed solely as a paperwork requirement. Maintaining a building in a properly filed SAFE condition provides important financial, operational, and public-safety benefits.
Avoiding Violations, Fines, and Escalating Penalties
A building listed as “No Report Filed” is not in compliance with the City’s FISP requirements. Delayed filings can lead to violations, civil penalties, and other enforcement actions. Those costs may continue to increase while the filing remains outstanding.
The longer an owner waits, the more complicated the situation may become. In addition to the inspection itself, correction of prior filing issues, installation or maintenance of public-protection measures, preparation of repair documents, completion of façade repairs, and submission of an amended or subsequent report.
Addressing the filing early gives the owner and QEWI more time to understand the building’s status and establish an orderly path toward compliance.
Supporting Sales, Refinancing, and Due Diligence
An unresolved FISP filing can also create complications during a sale, refinancing, insurance review, or other property transactions.
Prospective purchasers, lenders, attorneys, and insurers frequently review DOB records as part of their due-diligence process. An open façade violation, a “No Report Filed” status, or an unresolved Unsafe condition may raise questions about future repair costs, access requirements, sidewalk-shed expenses, potential penalties, and the overall management of the property.
A current SAFE filing provides greater clarity. It demonstrates that the building’s exterior walls have been inspected by a qualified professional, the required report has been submitted, and no unsafe façade conditions were identified at the time of filing. While a SAFE report is not a guarantee that maintenance will never be required, it can help reduce uncertainty and make a future transaction easier to evaluate and complete.
Preventive Maintenance Is Usually Less Expensive Than Emergency Repair
One of the most important reasons to remain current with FISP inspections is that routine maintenance is generally more manageable than large-scale restoration performed after deterioration has progressed to a level where Unsafe or SWARMP conditions are present.
Façade problems often begin as relatively localized conditions, such as:
- Open or deteriorated mortar joints
- Failed sealant at windows and expansion joints
- Minor cracking in masonry, concrete, or stone
- Corrosion at lintels, shelf angles, railings, or other embedded steel
- Deteriorated copings, parapets, or flashing
- Water infiltration at roof and façade transitions
- Loose or displaced façade components
When these conditions are identified early, repairs may be limited to repointing, sealant replacement, localized masonry work, coating or treatment of exposed steel, or other targeted maintenance.
When water infiltration and corrosion are allowed to continue, however, a relatively small deficiency can develop into displaced masonry, cracked stone, spalled concrete, deteriorated structural steel or unstable parapets. At that stage, the owner may also face emergency protection, sidewalk-shed installation, contractor mobilization, and significantly higher construction costs.
Regular inspection and maintenance allow owners to budget for repairs over time rather than respond to an emergency after conditions have become more severe.
Protecting Residents, Staff, Pedestrians, and the Public
The central purpose of the FISP program is public safety.
Exterior wall components are exposed to rain, snow, freeze-thaw cycles, temperature changes, wind, pollution, and normal aging. Hidden corrosion and water infiltration can gradually weaken masonry, concrete, stone, terra cotta, metal attachments, and other façade elements.
A proper inspection is intended to identify conditions that may pose a hazard before materials become loose or fall from the building. Timely maintenance and repair help protect residents, building staff, contractors, neighboring properties, and pedestrians using the sidewalks below.
Keeping the building filed as SAFE is therefore not only a matter of regulatory compliance. It is part of responsible building ownership and long-term property stewardship.
We Are Passing Along the DOB’s Request
The DOB has asked QEWIs to assist in reaching the approximately 1,900 buildings that remain without a Cycle 9 filing. We are sharing that request so building owners have an opportunity to address the issue before violations, penalties, deterioration, or transaction-related complications become more difficult and expensive to resolve.
Owners who believe their building may be listed as “No Report Filed,” or who are unsure whether their Cycle 9 submission was accepted, may contact Duffy Engineering for assistance reviewing the property’s DOB status and identifying a practical path toward compliance.
