Union, NY Rental Property Rules: Repairs & Habitability (2026)

Article III of Chapter 155 (L.L. No. 3-2026, adopted 5-6-2026) sets the minimum condition for every building, dwelling and premises in the Town of Union outside the Villages of Endicott and Johnson City that is used in whole or in part for residential occupancy, whenever it was built and whatever permits it holds. Section 155-15(A) makes the standards the yardstick the Building Official and agents use to judge fitness for basic human habitation.

Section 155-15(C) requires residential premises to comply with the New York State Property Maintenance Code at all times and to be free of nuisances, hazards and unsanitary conditions, which must be promptly removed and abated. The listed hazards include refuse and accumulations of papers or other combustibles inside or outside, unsafe surfaces and pet waste on paths and driveways, sources of infestation, defective foundation walls, and chimneys and flues that cannot do their job or are not smoke tight. Subsection E requires exterior surfaces to be painted or protected where necessary and kept free of broken glass, loose shingles or siding, crumbling masonry and excessively peeling paint.

Under § 155-15(D), when the Code Department finds an unoccupied residential building with openings open to entry, it serves written notice on the owner or manager giving 10 days to enclose them. Openings are closed with weatherproof plywood of one-half inch or thicker, painted to blend with the building and neighborhood. If the owner fails, the Town can enclose the building and recover its costs, including attorneys fees, by civil action or local assessment.

Section 155-14 makes owners, managers and occupants each responsible, and none can defend a charge by pointing at another. Banks, lending institutions and private lenders count as owners or managers during foreclosure. Under § 155-13(B), the higher standard prevails when the article conflicts with another town ordinance or a New York law.