Local Law 17 of 2018 was enacted on June 9th of this year. The law added a section to Article 11 in Subchapter 2 of the Housing Maintenance Code.
The new section 27-2046.4 requires owners of units in multiple dwellings to provide protective stove knob covers for gas-powered stoves to the residents of the unit if the owner knows or reasonably should know that a child under the age of six resides in the unit. This does not apply to units where the owner is the primary resident. The new section also requires that the owner provide tenants with annual notice of this stove knob protection requirement and must provide the knobs within 30 days if needed. Tenants can request such knob covers regardless of the situation and the owner is required to comply.
There are exceptions: if there is documented proof that there is no available stove knob cover that is compatible with the knobs on such stove or if the tenant refuses to have the knob cover installed in writing.
Additionally the new section requires that owners keep records of the notices, which tenants requested the cover, which tenants refused the knob, when and which units had the stove knob covers made available.
Finally, the section establishes that failure to comply will be a class B hazardous violation.
The law takes effect December 6, 2018.
A copy of LL 17/2018 can be found here.