Carbon Monoxide (CO) is the “invisible” killer. Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas. Every year more than 100 people in the United States die from unintentional exposure to carbon monoxide associated with consumer products. To read more about CO poisoning, and what you can do at home to prevent it, read the literature below from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Village Departments
Home Safety
The New York State Department of Health has issued guidelines for the Safe use of Suplimental Space Heaters. The informational brochure can be downloaded for printing.
The New York State Department of State has issued guidelines and gathered resources on Fire Safety in the Home. The information can be downloaded for printing.
Code Enforcement
Building Inspector: Mark Surdam
Phone: Office—518-686-7072 x110, Cell—518-527-9057
Email: hoosickfallsbuildinginspector@gmail.com
Address: Municipal Building, 24 Main Street, Hoosick Falls, NY 12090
Building Permit Process For Village of Hoosick Falls
The Village completed an update of our zoning laws and regulations in 2017. For ease of access and search functionality, the complete code can be viewed at the link below.
Village of Hoosick Falls, NY Zoning Code
Refer to our Local Zoning Code Article 7 Section 709 and 19NYCRR Part 1203 Uniform Code and the Energy Code: Minimum Standards for Admininistration and Enforcement.
New York State Tenant Rights
You can access the entire Guide to New York State Tenants' Rights by clicking here.
Below is a brief summary of important issues, provided to you by the Village Building Inspector. You can download a printer-friendly version here.
Important: A tenant can be legally evicted only after the landlord has brought a court proceeding and has obtained a judgment of possession, and only a sheriff, marshal or constable can carry out a court ordered warrant to evict a tenant. Landlords may not take the law into their own hands and evict a tenant by use of force or unlawful means. For example, a landlord cannot use threats of violence, remove a tenant's possessions, lock the tenant out of the apartment, or willfully discontinue essential services such as water or heat. When a tenant is evicted, the landlord must give the tenant a reasonable amount of time to remove all belongings; the landlord may not retain the tenant's personal belongings or furniture (RPAPL §749; Real Property Law § 235). A tenant evicted from an apartment in a forcible or unlawful manner is entitled to recover triple damages in a legal action against the landlord.
Retaliation: Landlords are prohibited from harassing or retaliating against tenants who exercise their rights. For example, landlords may not seek to evict tenants solely because tenants (a) make good faith complaints to a government agency regarding violations of any health or safety laws; (b) take good faith actions to protect their rights under the lease; or (c) participate in tenant organizations. Tenants may collect damages from landlords who violate this law, which applies to all rentals except owner-occupied dwellings with fewer than four units (Real Property Law § 223-b).
Harassment: A landlord is prohibited from any action intended to force a tenant out of an apartment or to compel a tenant to give up any rights granted the tenant by law. No landlord, or any party acting on the landlord's behalf, may interfere with the tenant's privacy, comfort, or quiet enjoyment of the apartment. Harassment may take the form of physical or verbal abuse, willful denial of services, or multiple instances of frivolous litigation. If a landlord lies or deliberately misrepresents the law to a tenant, this may also constitute harassment.
Heating Season: Heat must be supplied from October 1 through May 31 to tenants in multiple dwellings. If the outdoor temperature falls below 55°F between the hours of six a.m. and ten p.m., each apartment must be heated to a temperature of at least 68°F. If the outdoor temperature falls below 40°F between the hours of ten p.m. and six a.m., each apartment must be heated to a temperature of at least 55°F (Multiple Dwelling Law § 79; Multiple Residence Law § 173; NYC Admin. Code § 27-2029).
Hot Water: Landlords must provide all tenants of multiple dwellings with both hot and cold water. Hot water must register at or above a constant temperature of 120 degrees at the tap. If a tub or shower is equipped 23 with an anti-scald valve that prevents the hot water temperature from exceeding 120 degrees, the minimum hot water temperature for that tub or shower is 110 degrees (Multiple Dwelling Law § 75; Multiple Residence Law§ 170; NYC Admin. Code § 27-2031).
Notices
All rental units must be inspected and given a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) by the Building Inspector prior to new tenants moving in. Even if a rental unit has passed inspection for a previous tenant.
It is a landlord's responsibility to request an inspection by the Code Enforcement Office prior to new tenants occupying a rental unit.
View a printable version of the Hoosick Falls Building Permit Fee Schedule
Forms
Zoning Code
The Village completed an update of our zoning laws and regulations in 2017. For ease of access and search functionality, the complete code can be viewed at the link below.
Regulations
Tenants
Click here for the Tenants' Rights Guide, from the Office of the New York State Attorney General.
Our Building Inspector has developed a brief summary of important issues that tenants should know about.