Local Law 11, Façade safety Inspection

When you walk on the streets of New York City every day, you can see many buildings that have installed sidewalk sheds and pedestrian walkways covered with temporary scaffoldings, you might wonder what they are and why I can see them everywhere. These things are for buildings and people’s safety to protect lives.

The thing I mentioned above is about Local Law 11 and FISP report in NYC and understanding these regulations is essential for building owners and managers.

What is Local Law 11?

Local Law 11 is for the Façade Inspection and Safety Program, which is called FISP. This law came into action in 1998, but the first idea was way back then when it was the city’s first effort to mandate building façades inspection for public safety purposes which led to the creation of Local Law 11.

So in this post, I want to discuss why Local Law 11 or LL11 is very important for buildings that are more than six stories tall, and the owners need to take it seriously.

Local Law 11 ensures that the building’s facades are free from any risk of deterioration and are completely safe for the public and people not to hurt people by any fall from the façade.

What is the FISP Report?

The FISP report which stands for “Façade Inspection & Safety Program.” Is a necessary part of the Local Law 11 compliance.

It is a detailed report provided by a qualified inspector like a Registered Architect or Engineer who can conduct a Façade Inspection, outline the condition of the building exterior, and identify any potential hazards before they create a serious safety problem.

The FISP report comes with three different building status terminology which describes the level of building safety and the repair needed.

Safe:

Safe means the building is in good condition and no need for any repair and maintenance.

Swarmps:

Swarmps means the building needs a repair operation and has to be fixed by the following FISP Cycle.

Unsafe:

Unsafe means, the building requires immediate repairs

Compliance with Local Law 11 isn’t as simple as just calling an inspector. There are specific requirements that need to be met. First, buildings must undergo a façade inspection every five years. This inspection covers the entire exterior, from the roof to the sidewalk. After the inspection, the building owner must submit a report detailing the findings to the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB). The report must classify the building’s facade as Safe, Safe with a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP), or Unsafe.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Local Law 11 is not like other minor DOB Violations that you think you can ignore or postpone them, which is wrong, even for small violations I recommend you always take seriously and try to fix them in the given timeline.

Non-compliance can lead to significant legal and financial consequences. The NYC Department of Buildings has the authority to issue fines, and in extreme cases, they can even order the evacuation of a building. Beyond the fines, the cost of emergency repairs to address issues that should have been caught during a regular inspection can be astronomical.

How and When to File FISP Report?

The first thing you as a building owner with over six stories, need to contact a licensed architect or engineer who is QEWI which stands for Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector.

FISP Cycle 9

Then remember the FISP Report Cycle is 5 years, and the current period is from the year 2020 to 2025 it categorized into 3 different types

Sub-Cycle 9A, Sub-Cycle 9B, Sub-Cycle 9C

To determine your Sub-Cycle, you have to check the last digit of your Block Number

Sub-Cycle 9A

Block numbers: 4-5-6-9 and the filing period is from 02/21/2020 to 02/21/2022

Sub-Cycle 9B/

Block numbers 0-7-8 and the filing period is from 02/21/2021 to 02/21/2023

Sub-Cycle 9C

Blocks numbers 1-2-3 and the filing period is from 02/21/2022 to 02/21/2024

Source: DOB

Conclusion

As the final word, Local Law 11 is all about safety, by staying on time for any inspection, report, and maintenance, you can protect your property and people.

My recommendation to you is, not to wait until you get a violation—take action to ensure your building is compliant.