HPD published amended rules for its Heat Sensors Program that were made effective on June 1, 2024. Local Law 18 of 2020 had required HPD to start selecting 50 apartment buildings for program participation every two years. Following additional program requirements added by Local Law 70 of 2023 and amended rules made effective starting July 1, 2024, HPD now identifies the buildings with heat violations annually. For a list of buildings selected for participation in the Heat Sensor Program in July 2025, go to: www.nyc.gov/assets/hpd/downloads/pdfs/services/heat-sensor-program-building-list-2025.pdf.

More frequent reporting required. The rules amended in 2024 also changed reporting requirements under the program. The original program had owners of selected buildings submit data readings from each device to HPD at least every 90 days for as long as the building was in the program. Effective June 1, 2024, HPD requires reporting the data collected from devices at least once during each 30-day period during the heat season for the entire period the building is in the program.

Fees. In addition, under the amended rules, owners will be subject to fees of $200 for each HPD inspection conducted after Jan. 31 for the remainder of that heat season. The amended rules also provide criteria under which owners of selected buildings may apply to be discharged from the Heat Sensor Program requirements at the end of a heat season, but earlier than the required four years.

General requirements. LL18/2020 requires owners of identified buildings to install an internet-capable temperature reporting device in each dwelling unit of each building for a period of four years. The 50 buildings are selected based on criteria that include the number of heat violations over the preceding two years and whether HPD has received heat-related complaints from two or more distinct units in each of the last two heat seasons.

Heat sensor compliance requirements under HPD’s Heat Sensors Program, made effective in June 2020, are discussed fully in How to Comply with HPD’s Heat Sensors Program and in HPD Releases Proposed Rule for Heat Sensors Program. The final rule, made effective June 1, 2024, is substantially the same as the proposed rule.