Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani has announced new initiatives aimed at removing long-standing sidewalk sheds in New York City, particularly those on NYCHA properties, and reducing the number of unnecessary sheds in the future. The Department of Buildings (DOB) is moving forward with reforms to lessen shed coverage requirements over open spaces farther from buildings and to make façade inspections less frequent for lower-risk structures.
The announcement was made at Highbridge Gardens in the Bronx, where NYCHA is dismantling sheds that had been present for five years due to previously unsafe façades. These issues have now been resolved as part of a broader effort funded by $650 million in state and federal support. To date, approximately $400 million worth of repairs have been completed and sheds removed from over 200 buildings.
“In the greatest city in the world, we should not accept darkened sidewalks and covered walkways as a fact of life. Our administration’s investments in shed removal and regulations to shed placement will deliver a more livable city by not just repairing NYCHA’s buildings but ensuring all New Yorkers can enjoy light and fresh air when they step outside,” said Mayor Mamdani.
“Sheds may seem small, but they are a big imposition on New Yorkers’ quality of life. With these reforms — thanks to work by civil servants at DOB and NYCHA, the City Council, and state and federal partners — we will make real progress to take sheds down,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “New Yorkers should be able to enjoy natural light and unobstructed public space, and that’s what we’ll deliver.”
NYCHA Chief Executive Officer Lisa Bova-Hiatt stated: “The removal of shedding at Highbridge Gardens signifies safer conditions, clearer walkways, and meaningful quality of life improvements for NYCHA residents. We appreciate the Mamdani Administration’s support and look forward to working alongside the Department of Buildings to remove unnecessary shedding while we continue the critical facade repairs necessary to take down required sheds. With more than 200 buildings already completed through $400 million in State and Federal funding, we are making real progress in ensuring residents are experiencing a safer, more inviting atmosphere around their buildings and on their campuses.”
Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani added: “The removal of these sidewalk sheds is a great day for the residents of Highbridge Houses, and serves as another concrete example of the city’s commitment to safely remove sheds citywide. Efforts led by the Buildings Department have already led to a 17% decline in sidewalk sheds citywide, and thanks to this package of proposed agency rules for facade inspections and permit oversight we are primed to build on this progress.”
A study conducted with engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti has prompted DOB reforms under Local Law 11 that change how often building façades must be inspected. The interval between required inspections will increase from five years to six years. For lower-risk buildings that are well maintained, hands-on inspection requirements could drop from every five years to every twelve years under an abbreviated filing program.
DOB is also implementing changes based on Local Law 47 passed by City Council in 2025 so that sidewalk sheds related to unsafe façades only extend up to 40 feet away from buildings—rather than up to half a building’s height—freeing more open space on multi-building campuses such as those managed by NYCHA or universities.
Additionally, DOB proposes new enforcement measures under Local Law 48: property owners who keep sidewalk sheds up longer than 180 days would face penalties; regular status updates would be required every ninety days; enhanced oversight will go into effect later this summer after public comment periods conclude.
