Requires plainly legible display of building numbers on all buildings to which numbers have been assigned; provides for a fine for violations of such requirement.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A873
SPONSOR: Rosenthal
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring
identification numbers to be displayed on certain buildings
 
PURPOSE:
To help first responders quickly and efficiently locate buildings.
 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Legislative intent
Section 2. Amends general municipal law to require street numbers on
buildings to be plainly legible from the sidewalk; authorized fines for
violators.
Section 3. Effective date 90 days after becoming law
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Many tragedies have occurred as a result of crime, accidents, illnesses
and fires due to the fact that emergency personnel, such as police,
firefighters and paramedics are unable to ascertain the location of the
emergency. This legislation would require that large, clear address
numbers be affixed prominently on the face of.all residences which have
such numbers assigned, thereby eliminating the precious time lost that
occurs when a building is not clearly marked.
 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2023-24: A.470 - Referred to Local Governments; S.4980 - Reported to
Finance
2021-22: A.2021 - Referred to Local Governments; S.6149 - Referred to
Local Governments
2019-20: A.1010 - Referred to Local Governments; S.669 - Referred to
Local Governments
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Effective the ninetieth day.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
873
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. ROSENTHAL -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to requiring
identification numbers to be displayed on certain buildings
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Legislative intent and purpose. It is the intent of this
2 legislature to ensure the prompt response of designated agencies to
3 emergency calls and situations. During emergencies time is of the
4 essence and precious moments may be lost when fire, police and other
5 emergency personnel are unable to quickly locate those in need. The
6 legislature therefore declares that it is necessary to require that all
7 premises be identified through the display of their numerical address in
8 a conspicuous location.
9 § 2. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section
10 125-b to read as follows:
11 § 125-b. Street numbers. 1. Requirements. The owner, agent, lessee or
12 other person in charge of any building upon a street to which street
13 numbers of buildings have been assigned, in which such building is situ-
14 ated, shall cause the proper street number or numbers of such buildings
15 to be displayed in such manner that the street number or numbers may at
16 all times be plainly legible from the sidewalk in front of such build-
17 ing. The term "front" as used in this section shall be construed to mean
18 that side of the building which faces the street on which the number or
19 numbers of such building, or premises on which such building is situ-
20 ated, have been allotted. The number or numbers shall be displayed on
21 such side of such building or premises. Each city shall have the power
22 to establish and enforce rules and regulations relating to the size,
23 form, visibility and location of street numbers in accordance with the
24 requirements of this section.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02972-01-5
A. 873 2
1 2. Violations. If the owner, lessee, agent or other person in charge
2 of any building in any city upon a street to which street numbers of
3 buildings have been assigned in which such building is situated shall
4 fail to display the proper street number of such building, as provided
5 in the foregoing subdivision, the city in which such building is situ-
6 ated shall forthwith serve such person or persons with a copy of this
7 section, and if after thirty days' notice the owner, lessee, agent or
8 other person in charge of such building shall fail or neglect to comply
9 with the provisions thereof, such owner, lessee, agent or other person
10 shall be subject to a penalty of twenty-five dollars, which shall be
11 used for and collected in the name of the city. Any person who shall
12 continue any such violation shall be punished by an additional fine of
13 five dollars for each day such violation shall continue.
14 § 3. This act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
15 have become a law.