Why We Exist
Every New Yorker has a rental horror story.
The heat stops working in February. There are bedbugs the landlord "forgot" to mention. The super never answers. The building has dozens of open violations—but you only find out after you've signed the lease and moved in.
We built VeriCrib so you can skip the part where you find out the hard way.
The Frustration
The information to avoid these situations exists.
HPD tracks violations. DOB logs complaints. 311 records calls. Housing court has eviction filings.
But it's scattered across a dozen different government portals. Each one has its own interface, its own search quirks, its own jargon. By the time you figure out how to find what you need, you've already lost the apartment—or worse, signed the lease anyway.
What We Built
VeriCrib aggregates data from multiple NYC agencies into a single, human-readable report.
Enter any NYC address. In 30 seconds, you'll see every violation, complaint, and lawsuit on record. No more hunting through government portals. No more nasty surprises after signing.
How We're Different
We don't editorialize.
We don't rate buildings on subjective criteria. Every data point in a VeriCrib report comes from an official city source. If we show you a violation, it's because the city issued it.
We update constantly.
Our data syncs with city systems daily. When a new violation is issued or a complaint is filed, it shows up in our reports. You're seeing the most current information available.
We're on your side.
We built this because we've been renters. We've signed leases we regretted. We've dealt with landlords who disappeared. VeriCrib exists to give you the same information advantage that landlords have always had.
How to Read Your Report
Understanding NYC housing data.
VeriCrib reports reference terms from multiple city agencies. Here's what they mean.
NYC Agencies
- HPD
- NYC Housing Preservation & Development. Enforces the housing maintenance code and inspects residential buildings.
- DOB
- NYC Department of Buildings. Oversees construction, building safety, and structural compliance.
- FDNY
- NYC Fire Department. Issues vacate orders and enforces fire safety codes.
- ECB/OATH
- Environmental Control Board (now OATH). Issues monetary penalties attached to DOB violations. Not a standalone data source — ECB case numbers appear on DOB violation records.
- DOF
- NYC Department of Finance. Manages property tax records and conducts tax lien sales on properties with unpaid taxes or water charges.
- NYPD
- NYC Police Department. Reports crime complaints used in neighborhood safety analysis.
- DCP
- NYC Department of City Planning. Maintains official property and building metadata including lot boundaries, zoning, and building classifications.
- DOI
- NYC Department of Investigation. Publishes city marshal eviction data used in landlord accountability analysis.
- DOHMH
- NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene. Handles pest complaints, food safety, and environmental health.
- DEP
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection. Manages water supply, sewer systems, and water quality.
- 311
- NYC's non-emergency complaint system. Residents call 311 to report noise, street conditions, and building issues.
Violation Classes
- Class C (HPD)
- Immediately hazardous. Cure period ranges from 24 hours to 21 days depending on the violation type. Heat and hot water violations must be corrected immediately.
- Class B (HPD)
- Hazardous. Must be fixed within 30 days (some conditions require 5 days).
- Class A (HPD)
- Non-hazardous. Must be fixed within 90 days (some conditions require 14 days).
- Class I (HPD)
- Informational violation. Typically a record-keeping or filing issue, not a physical hazard.
Key Concepts
- Compliance Filing
- A required periodic inspection report for building systems (boilers, elevators, facades). Missing or failed filings may indicate deferred maintenance.
- SRO
- Single Room Occupancy. A building where residents rent individual rooms, often with shared bathrooms and kitchens. SROs have additional legal protections.
- Rent-Impairing
- A violation that may qualify you for a rent reduction through HP Action in housing court.
- CONH
- Certification of No Harassment. A certification required before certain building alterations in designated areas, verifying the landlord has not engaged in tenant harassment.
- HP Action
- A housing court proceeding where tenants can sue landlords for failing to make repairs. Can result in rent reductions.
- Vacate Order
- An order requiring residents to leave a building due to unsafe conditions. Issued by DOB, HPD, or FDNY.
- Tax Lien
- A legal claim against a property for unpaid taxes or water charges. May signal financial distress.
- Data Window
- The time period of records VeriCrib analyzes. 'Last 2 years' includes only recent records. 'All time' includes the full history. 'Current snapshot' means the dataset reflects the latest state, not a time range.
- AEP
- Alternative Enforcement Program. An HPD program targeting the city's worst buildings with high violation counts, requiring landlords to make repairs under city oversight.
- 7A
- 7A Administrator Program. A court-appointed administrator takes over building management when the landlord fails to maintain safe conditions.
We're not here to tell you what to think.
We're here to make sure you have the facts.
What you do with them is up to you.
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