Local Law 55: What Landlords Need to Know in 2025

Local Law 55, also known as the “Asthma-Free Housing Act,” went into effect in 2019. Now, six years later, what do landlords still need to know about this law? 

While there have been no major changes, it remains critical that building owners stay on top of annual inspections, address tenant complaints and employ preventative measures in order to avoid violations and fines.

What must landlords do to stay compliant? 

As you likely know, this law requires landlords with three or more apartments to keep their tenants’ homes free of pests and mold. 

To comply with the law and avoid violations, building owners must: 

• provide every current and prospective tenant with a copy of the Local Law 55 fact sheet: What Tenants Should Know About Indoor Allergens. 

• inspect all units and common areas for indoor allergen hazards annually, or more often if necessary. Records must be kept on file for each unit for at least 10 years from the date of inspection. 

• respond promptly to tenant complaints or requests for inspections.

• use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices. 

  • Use pesticides sparingly. Fix any pest issues by removing pest nests, sealing cracks, adding door sweeps and repairing leaky water sources. 

• safely remove indoor mold and fix the underlying problem(s) that caused mold.

  • To clean 10 or more square feet of mold, you must use a licensed mold assessor and third-party mold remediator. 

What does a good inspection entail?  

Hiring a reliable, licensed inspector and using effective preventative measures are the best ways to stay on top of Local Law 55 and avoid costly violations and remediation efforts.

As a landlord, you must ensure you have detailed and accurate documentation that an inspection was conducted, complete with a written report and photographs documenting the conditions of all units and common areas. This will help you prove the area was hazard-free at the time of the inspection.

At bare minimum an inspection must include:

• Visual inspection for mold and pests

• Checklist of inspected areas and conditions present

• Photos of all areas within the unit

• Report of findings and certification of completion

A great inspection, however, will go beyond the bare minimum. At Maypole, our inspectors not only keep an eye out for areas of concern, but also go the extra mile to identify any present conditions that may develop into a hazard.

A proper inspection should include some or all of the below:

• Thermal Imaging

• Relative Humidity Measurements

• Moisture Meter Measurements

• Visual HVAC Condition Assessment

• Visual Scan for Conducive Pest Conditions

Thermal imaging and moisture meters can identify water intrusion in hidden areas, making these tools extremely helpful for locating water and mold issues before they become a problem.

What happens if my building receives a violation?

HPD and the DOB are enforcing Local Law 55 by issuing violations to any landlord who is not compliant, especially in response to tenant complaints.  

If you receive a Notice of Violation from HPD, you must correct all violations and file a Certification of Correction by the deadline provided on the notice. Fines for missing the deadline can reach up to $10,000, depending on the class and severity of the violation.   

Mold violations:

If your inspection determines that mold is present, it is important that you immediately correct it to avoid any violations. A mold hazard must be assessed by a New York State (NYS) licensed Mold Assessor and remediated by separate NYS licensed mold remediator.

• Class B & C Violations: greater than or equal to 10 sq. ft. of visible mold per room

• Class A Violation: less than 10 sq. ft. of visible mold per room

  
  

Pest violations:

Integrated pest management practices must be used to remediate the presence of pests. If a property is found to have pest infestation they will receive a violation.

• Class C Violation: a dwelling or common area found to have mice, rats, and/or cockroaches

• Class B Violation: all other pest infestations

While Maypole’s goal is to help prevent you from receiving any violations, we can also help lift current violations you may be facing.