Data Sources

Everything you see on Building Status NYC that isn't something you typed comes from public records maintained by NYC agencies. We don't make data up, and we don't redact anything except tenant personal information (which is redacted before we ever see it).

Primary source: NYC Open Data

We ingest violation, permit, complaint, and building data from NYC Open Data (data.cityofnewyork.us), which is the city's open-records portal. Specific datasets we use:

Additional sources may be added as we expand coverage. Each detail page shows the specific dataset and sync time for the record you are viewing.

Ingestion partner: LeadMatch

LeadMatch is our ingestion partner. LeadMatch runs the pipelines that fetch NYC Open Data feeds and (for a small number of datasets) NYC agency web portals. LeadMatch stores the cleaned, redacted, deduplicated records in its Postgres database.

Building Status NYC queries that database directly as a read-only client. We do not run scrapers. We do not write to the LeadMatch database. LeadMatch is invisible infrastructure from your perspective — you have no separate account with them.

Tenant personal information — names, phone numbers, email addresses, and complaint narrative text — is redacted by LeadMatch at ingest, before records are available to Building Status NYC. We never see, store, or display that information.

NYC agency attributions

Data on this site originates with these NYC agencies. We attribute them on the page where their data is shown.

• Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) — housing maintenance code violations and complaints
• Department of Buildings (DOB) — building code violations, permits, complaints, and BIS records
• Office of Administrative Trials and Hearings (OATH) / Environmental Control Board (ECB) — summons and hearing status
• Fire Department of New York (FDNY) — fire code violations (via Open Data, when covered)
• Department of Sanitation (DSNY) — sanitation violations
• Department of Finance (DOF) — property tax and ownership records (via PLUTO)
• Department of Transportation (DOT) — street and right-of-way violations (via Open Data, when covered)
• Department of City Planning (DCP) — PLUTO, zoning
• Department of State (NYS DOS) — business entity records

These agencies do not endorse, sponsor, or verify Building Status NYC.

License and attribution

NYC Open Data is made available under the NYC Open Data Terms of Use. We honor the attribution requirements in those terms and credit each dataset on the page that displays it.

Attribution format:

Source: NYC [Agency] — dataset [dataset-id] via NYC Open Data. Last synced: [timestamp].

Freshness cadence

Different datasets publish at different rates. Our sync cadence follows the upstream publisher's cadence where possible:

Every detail page shows a "Last synced" timestamp, so you can see exactly how current the record is. If the timestamp is stale, the pipeline may be delayed — email data@buildingstatusnyc.com.

The sync cadence above is approximate and may change. See the Last synced time on the individual record for truth.

Data corrections

If the record is wrong upstream

If a record is wrong in the city's data — for example, HPD shows a violation on a building you don't own, or a permit is attributed to the wrong BIN — the fix has to happen at the issuing agency. We cannot edit NYC's records.

To correct an upstream record:

• HPD violations — contact HPD directly; instructions at hpdonline.nyc.gov
• DOB violations and permits — file a certificate of correction or a BIS update request with DOB
• OATH / ECB summons — raise it at the hearing or petition OATH

Once the agency publishes the correction to Open Data, it flows through LeadMatch into Building Status NYC on the next sync. We do not override upstream data.

If you are an NYC agency

If you work for an NYC agency and see data on this site that you believe was published incorrectly on Open Data or that should not be public, email data@buildingstatusnyc.com. We will coordinate with LeadMatch and (if appropriate) temporarily hide the record while the issuing agency investigates.

If you are a user and the record affects you

If data on our site is incorrect and harming you personally (wrong owner attribution on a building you do own, etc.), email support@buildingstatusnyc.com and we will investigate and where possible note the dispute on our display while you pursue the upstream correction.

Data we do NOT pull from the city

• Tenant names, phone numbers, email addresses, complaint narrative text — redacted by LeadMatch at ingest
• Social Security numbers, DOBs of natural persons — not in the datasets we use
• Medical or financial records — not in our sources
• Confidential or sealed records — excluded by the upstream publisher

Your records vs. City records

When you add your own data (building notes, permits not in the city's system, license info), it shows as "Your records" with an "Added by you" label. That data is only visible to you and, on paid team tiers, your team. It is never merged into city records or shared with LeadMatch or any NYC agency. See ADR 0005 if you want the engineering details.