Code: Vacate Order (Unsafe occupancy order)
Description: A Vacate Order is a formal city order that requires occupants to leave a building or part of a building because it is unsafe or illegal to occupy. No one is allowed to live in or use the affected area until the unsafe conditions are corrected and the order is officially lifted.
Practical Meaning: If your building or apartment gets a Vacate Order, your family, tenants, and any business must leave the affected area and cannot stay there until the city allows re‑occupancy. As owner, you must fix the dangerous or illegal conditions, work with your design professionals and contractors, and get the issuing agency to inspect and remove the order before anyone can move back in.
Where You May See It: You may see a Vacate Order as a bright notice or sticker posted on the front door or hallway of the building, or on the door of a specific apartment or space. It can also appear in DOB BIS or DOB NOW records, HPD Online data, HPD “Order to Repair/Vacate Order” records, NYC 311 information, or in letters and emails from DOB, HPD, or your managing agent.
Why It Matters: A Vacate Order usually means there is an immediate or potential danger such as structural damage, fire safety problems, blocked exits, illegal apartments, or unsafe gas or electrical work, and violations and civil penalties can be issued if you ignore it. Disobeying a Vacate Order or allowing people to live in a vacated unit can lead to large fines, relocation costs, liens, and serious problems with refinancing, insurance, or selling the property.
Source: More about vacate orders