NYC Admin Code 16-118 requires owners to keep lots free of weeds and rank growth. DSNY and HPD enforce. Practical threshold is around 10 inches of unchecked growth on vacant or neglected lots in the Bronx.
There is no universal grass-height number in NYC code, but Admin Code 16-118 bars rank weeds, rubbish, and dirt on any lot or yard. DSNY issues sanitation summonses for unkempt lots; HPD issues housing maintenance code violations for residential property. Typical threshold for enforcement action is weeds/grass above 10 inches. The Bronx has many absentee-owned lots where this rule is actively enforced.
DSNY summons: $100 first offense, up to $300 repeat. HPD Class B violations also possible. Liens can attach if City abates.
See how Bronx County's grass height limits rules stack up against other locations.
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