NEW YORK – Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani announced a series of programs to take longstanding sheds down, especially at NYCHA campuses, and reduce the amount of sheds required moving forward. The Department of Buildings (DOB) is advancing reforms to reduce the amount of shed coverage that is required over open space further away from buildings and to require façade inspections less frequently, especially at lower-risk buildings, potentially reducing the number of sheds that are installed.
Mayor Mamdani announced the programs alongside Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning Leila Bozorg, DOB Commissioner Ahmed Tigani and elected officials at Highbridge Gardens in the Bronx, where NYCHA is removing sheds that have been up for five years due to unsafe façade conditions, which have finally been addressed. Highbridge Gardens is one of 40 developments across New York City where NYCHA is using $650 million in state and federal funding to make long-needed façade repairs. Approximately $400 million in repairs have been completed and sheds have been removed at over 200 buildings to date.
“In the greatest city in the world, we should not accept darkened sidewalks and covered walkways as a fact of life. Our administration’s investments in shed removal and regulations to shed placement will deliver a more livable city by not just repairing NYCHA’s buildings but ensuring all New Yorkers can enjoy light and fresh air when they step outside,” said Mayor Mamdani.
“Sheds may seem small, but they are a big imposition on New Yorkers’ quality of life. With these reforms — thanks to work by civil servants at DOB and NYCHA, the City Council, and state and federal partners — we will make real progress to take sheds down,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “New Yorkers should be able to enjoy natural light and unobstructed public space, and that’s what we’ll deliver.”
“The removal of shedding at Highbridge Gardens signifies safer conditions, clearer walkways, and meaningful quality of life improvements for NYCHA residents,” said NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt. “We appreciate the Mamdani Administration’s support and look forward to working alongside the Department of Buildings to remove unnecessary shedding while we continue the critical facade repairs necessary to take down required sheds. With more than 200 buildings already completed through $400 million in State and Federal funding, we are making real progress in ensuring residents are experiencing a safer, more inviting atmosphere around their buildings and on their campuses.”
“The removal of these sidewalk sheds is a great day for the residents of Highbridge Houses, and serves as another concrete example of the city’s commitment to safely remove sheds citywide,” said Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. “Efforts led by the Buildings Department have already led to a 17% decline in sidewalk sheds citywide, and thanks to this package of proposed agency rules for facade inspections and permit oversight we are primed to build on this progress.”
Based on a study done in coordination with engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti, DOB will reform Local Law 11 façade inspection regulations to change the length of time between required inspections. These updates will extend the timeline for inspections an extra year, from five to six years, and will create an abbreviated filing program for lower-risk, well-maintained buildings that can lower hands-on inspection requirements to every 12 years – instead of the current requirement of every five years.
DOB is also implementing new regulations that now require sheds associated with unsafe building facades to extend only a maximum of 40 feet away from buildings. The previous requirement unnecessarily mandated that sheds cover walkways and sidewalks that were much further from buildings, up to half of the height of the building. This change, a result of Local Law 47, passed by the City Council in 2025, means that sheds will cover less open space on “campuses” like NYCHA properties, multi-building developments and universities, allowing for more open space to remain uncovered for neighbors to enjoy.
Finally, DOB is proposing a new agency rule to implement Local Law 48 that will enhance enforcement and oversight of sidewalk sheds. The new rule will include penalties for keeping sheds up for longer than 180 days, compelling building owners to more quickly begin needed façade repairs and provide DOB and the public with regular status updates every 90 days. These new enforcement and oversight procedures will be put into effect this summer. New Yorkers will be able to comment on these proposed rules in the coming weeks prior to implementation of the final rules.
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