NEW YORK - Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani and Department of Buildings (DOB) Commissioner Ahmed Tigani announced major progress in taking down sidewalk sheds across New York City, including new enforcement measures to get sheds down faster and proposed designs to make necessary sheds less intrusive for New Yorkers.
DOB today issued final rules to strengthen oversight and enforcement of sidewalk sheds, requiring building owners to begin necessary repairs more quickly and safely remove sheds on a faster timeline. The rules, first proposed by the Mamdani administration in March, fulfill reforms established by City Council legislation in 2025. DOB will also publish a Buildings Bulletin clarifying that sidewalk sheds on campus properties should only extend as far as necessary to protect public safety, preventing them from unnecessarily taking up space far from buildings. The change will particularly benefit New Yorkers who navigate large "campuses," including NYCHA properties, medical facilities and schools.
In addition, DOB is proposing new rules that would allow buildings across the city to use six new sidewalk shed designs that are more adaptable and provide New Yorkers with more light, visibility and space than the current standard design.
"New Yorkers have gotten used to sidewalk sheds darkening our streets and taking up precious public space, but it doesn't have to be this way. There are already close to 10 percent fewer sheds up than when we took office. With better designs and stronger enforcement, we are going to keep bringing down the number of sheds, opening up our sidewalks and making them safer, brighter and more welcoming for everyone," said Mayor Mamdani.
"Sidewalk sheds can have a major impact on how New Yorkers experience of their city. With this suite of changes - from reducing the number of sheds on our streets to improving the sheds that go up when they are needed - we are taking a significant step toward safer and more welcoming public spaces," said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. "Thanks to DOB's work to craft and enforce these new rules, New Yorkers will be able to enjoy more light and clearer sidewalks in the years to come."
"For decades, New Yorkers have lived with streets lined with bland-looking sidewalk sheds that stood in place seemingly without end. A high price in exchange for protecting pedestrians from hazardous building façades and construction activity," said Buildings Commissioner Ahmed Tigani. "Thanks to the leadership of the Mamdani Administration we are now building a cityscape that New Yorkers deserve by driving down the total number of sheds citywide, implementing a new enforcement strategy to make sure this equipment stays up for only as long as needed and delivering significantly better design options."
These efforts build on the Mamdani administration's progress in reducing the impact of sidewalk sheds across New York City. As of August 17, there are 7,427 permitted sidewalk sheds across the city, more than 1,000 fewer sheds than at this time last year and an almost 10 percent reduction from the number of total sheds when Mayor Mamdani took office on January 1.
Sidewalk Shed Oversight and Enforcement
DOB recently adopted a rule, now in effect, establishing new oversight and enforcement requirements for sidewalk sheds following the passage of Local Laws 48 and 51 of 2025.
Starting this month, every sidewalk shed permit renewal must be accompanied by a report explaining what building repair requires the pedestrian protection equipment and detailing the progress made on those repairs since the last renewal. Previously, sidewalk shed permits were renewed annually, with the City automatically issuing renewals. Under the new rules, permits must be renewed every 90 days, and property owners must provide detailed information about the work being done that will allow the shed to be safely removed.
The new rules also establish stronger penalties for property owners who leave sidewalk sheds in place when no active work is occurring or fail to complete façade repairs within a reasonable amount of time. After 180 days, DOB will issue graduated monthly penalties based on the size of the sidewalk shed and how long it has been in place. Penalties can be paused if the property owners demonstrate that they are making meaningful progress on repairs.
DOB is conducting outreach to property owners about the new requirements and expects to begin imposing penalties in early 2027.
New Sidewalk Shed Designs
Earlier today, DOB published proposed rules in the City Record to promote the use of six improved sidewalk shed designs across the five boroughs.
While sidewalk sheds serve an important public safety function, traditional designs can negatively impact public space by limiting light, visibility and pedestrian access. The six new designs would improve the pedestrian experience while continuing to provide necessary overhead protection.
The designs were developed by leading architecture and design firms Arup and Practice for Architecture and Urbanism (PAU). The designs are the intellectual property of the City and can be freely copied, helping streamline adoption across New York.
The public comment period for the proposed rule runs through September 24.
Smaller Sidewalk Sheds on "Campus" Properties
DOB will also publish a Buildings Bulletin establishing new guidance to reduce the size of sidewalk sheds on large "campus" properties, including NYCHA properties, multi-building developments and universities.
Previously, pedestrian protection was required on any walkway within half the height of a building. On large properties with multiple buildings, this could result in a maze of sidewalk sheds covering public walkways, even in areas where the additional coverage provided no meaningful public safety benefit.
The new Bulletin, which will establish official DOB policy, provides guidance to the public that limits required sidewalk shed coverage to a maximum of 40 feet from a building. This change will reduce unnecessary shed coverage while maintaining the pedestrian protections New Yorkers need.
"Manhattanites have long been clear: it's time to get scaffolding off our sidewalks. As a State Senator, I went so far as to create the 'Sheddie Awards' to call out the worst offenders on the West Side, where hundreds of Manhattanites nominated the sheds they most wanted gone. Our 'Worst Shed Overall,' at 51 West 86th Street, had been up since 2006 - and I'm thrilled that it has since come down," said Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal. "Today, the City Administration is answering New Yorkers' calls with stronger enforcement to get unnecessary sheds down faster, while advancing six new designs that will bring light, pedestrian access and visibility back to our sidewalks. I'm grateful to Mayor Mamdani, Deputy Mayor Bozorg and Commissioner Tigani for taking on an issue that affects our public safety, our small businesses and the daily experience of millions of New Yorkers."
"Credit to Mayor Mamdani and Commissioner Tigani for implementing the Council's reforms to hold building owners accountable for completing repairs and getting sheds down, and for commissioning new designs that will bring more light, visibility, and space to our sidewalks," said Council Member Gale A. Brewer. "These changes will make a real difference on the Upper West Side, where we have the third-highest number of scaffolding permits of any neighborhood in the city. Sidewalk sheds are often necessary to keep New Yorkers safe from debris, but we know that getting sheds down and improving those that must remain is also a public safety issue. Dark sidewalks can provide cover for illegal activity and obstruct security cameras, and research shows that better street lighting can reduce serious nighttime crime by as much as 60 percent in the areas illuminated. Sheds should not be permanent fixtures that make our sidewalks darker, narrower, and less welcoming."
"New Yorkers deserve sidewalks that are safe, bright, welcoming, and accessible, and these reforms are a major step forward. I applaud Mayor Mamdani, Commissioner Tigani and the Department of Buildings for making real progress in removing unnecessary sidewalk sheds while embracing innovative new designs that will improve our streetscape. With more than 1,000 fewer sheds on our streets than this time last year, it's clear that this approach is already delivering results. I'm excited to see this work continue and help make our neighborhoods even better places to live, work and visit," said State Senator Erik Bottcher.
"Sidewalk sheds - too many of them, up for way too long - are a scourge in our neighborhoods and a real quality-of-life and safety issue for New Yorkers. I applaud Mayor Mamdani and his administration for focusing on this issue and implementing real reforms to reclaim our sidewalks," said Assembly Member Micah Lasher.
"If there's one thing that unites New Yorkers, it's our universal hatred of sidewalk sheds," said Assembly Member Keith Powers. "I was proud to lead legislation at the City Council last year to dramatically transform the city's sidewalk sheds to get them down quicker and improve the designs of those still up. I'm glad to see progress on this important issue so that fewer sidewalks become safe havens for illegal activity and more small businesses, and New Yorkers can enjoy the benefits of open sidewalks."
"PAU believes sidewalk sheds can be far better than the dark and dreary structures we experience today." said Vishaan Chakrabarti, founder of PAU. "We see them as an opportunity to make our sidewalks safer, inviting, beautiful and luminous. PAU was founded to design for the public, and there are few more direct ways to improve New York's public realm than to rethink something that millions of New Yorkers encounter every day."
