If you live in a New York City co-op or condo, you are already familiar with your building’s board and how its decisions might impact you. Tasked with ensuring the living experience is as positive as it can be for the largest number of people, condo and co-op boards are empowered to make decisions about everything from how long you can chat with your doorman to whether you can sublet your apartment.
What New Construction Responsibilities Do Condo and Co-Op Boards Have?
As of February 1, 2026, condos and co-op boards play an additional role in maintaining their buildings. The New York City Department of Buildings (DOB) now requires that any job filings made in DOB Now: Build list the condo or co-op board as a stakeholder on the application. A representative from the board must sign the application to attest that the intended work is board-approved.
What Kind of Work Is Covered?
Any filing pertaining to a condo or co-op unit is required to include board signature. This includes alterations, full demolitions, and even “No Work.”
How Could This Impact My Project?
First, this requirement is a good thing. It helps ensure that work done in condos and co-ops is done safely and according to the building’s regulations. Requiring board authorization before the work is done means owners won’t have to bear the costly process of undoing it later.
However, there are some conditions that owners and their architects need to be aware of:
- It may take longer to be able to submit your DOB filing, especially in buildings with smaller boards whose members may not be immediately available.
- Boards may require an owner to be in “good standing” before they authorize the work. Owners should consider whether they are current on their maintenance fees and any fines before asking a board member to approve their work.
- Board signature on a DOB form probably won’t replace the need for owners to separately seek board approval for work, if that’s required by your building’s rules.
There is currently no work-around for adding a board as a shareholder on your job filing, so if your board refuses, you don’t have a lot of options outside of litigation. We recommend that owners collaborate with their architects to clearly explain work to board members even outside the formal request process, including visualizations and walking through areas you know will be pain points for them (safety, impact on building common elements, etc.).
