(Albany, NY) – Less than a month into Mayor Applyrs first term, the Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance has inspected 668 properties in the City of Albany, bringing the number of buildings reported for potential violations down to 383 from 1051. These numbers represent an aggressive ramp-up in verifications and citations since December 12th, 2026, and show that the number of buildings flagged for potential vacancies, expired renters’ occupancy permits, and other safety issues, has been cut in half.
Mayor Applyrs has placed public safety as a top priority for her administration, and her team is aware of the work that still needs to be done. Under the newly appointed leadership of Valerie Scott, the City’s Codes Department is committed to updating the Renters Occupancy Permit (ROP) registry on a weekly basis and giving noncompliant landlords the opportunity to bring their property up to code. Ensuring compliance means deliberate communication from the City and putting an end to bottlenecks that slow down the process internally. As a result, the department is launching two initiatives:
Expansion of weekend scheduling for Codes inspections
60-day and 30-day notices of an upcoming ROP expiry date
To expedite clearing the backlog of code inspections, the department is adding Saturday inspections for smaller buildings. Currently, Saturday inspections are reserved for large properties with ten or more units. In this new era, that rule is coming to an end. Additionally, notice will be sent to property owners via email 60 days prior to their ROP expiring. The final notice will go out 30 days prior. This is a rule that existed until 2019. In 2026, we are bringing this method of increased communication back. Upon no action, the owner will be cited for renting without a ROP. These new initiatives ensure that the City is giving landlords proper advanced notice, as well as accommodating the increased number of inspections that will result from compliance.
Mayor Applyrs is committed to holding noncompliant landlords accountable and ensuring our City’s buildings are safe and reliable for residents. The Mayor is also committed to transparency in this process. As a result, the Office of Mayor Applyrs will be releasing a monthly summary of updated ROP numbers. This information will also be available on the Department of Buildings and Regulatory Compliance website. Multiple meetings have occurred to discuss creative ways of addressing the issue of noncompliant building owners in the City of Albany. The Applyrs Administration, Codes Department, and Corporation Counsel are unified in their shared goals of up-to-date compliance, increased communication, and resident awareness moving forward.