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BRC Form 035 09/2018 Rev. 08/2020; 01/2021; 02/2026 Page 1 of 2 VACANT BUILDING REGISTRATION FEE EXEMPTION APPLICATION This form is to be completed if you are entitled to an exemption from the vacant building registration fee. This form must be submitted with a completed Vacant Building Registration Form (BRCF 011). Certification: I hereby certify that I have examined this application and know the information contained therein to be correct. I understand that the granting of a permit does not grant authority to violate or ignore any law, that this permit authorizes only the work described herein and will expire, unless otherwise noted, in one year from the date of issuance. Applicant Date: STAFF USE ONLY REG NO.: DATE REC’D: REC’D BY: INSPECTION FEE REC’D SCANNED & SAVED GENERAL INFORMATION 1 VACANT BUILDING ADDRESS: ZIP: APPLICANT NAME: EMAIL: PHONE: GENERAL EXEMPTION INFORMATION EXEMPTIONS ARE GRANTED WHERE 1) THERE ARE NO CODE VIOLATIONS AT THE BUILDING AS VERIFIED BY OUR OFFICE, 2) THE BUILDING WAS DAMAGED IN A FIRE, OR 3) WHERE A NEW PURCHASER BUYS THE BUILDING AND HAS COMMENCED WORK REHABILITATING THE BUILDING. ONLY PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR THE EXEMPTION THAT APPLIES TO YOUR BUILDING. 2 ACTIVE REHAB EXEMPTION 3 IF YOU PURCHASED THE BUILDING IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, HAVE APPLIED FOR BUILDING PERMITS TO REHAB AND REOCCUPY THE BUILDING, AND ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON THE BUILDING, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO AN EXEMPTION FROM THE REGISTRATION FEE FOR THE FIRST YEAR THE PERMIT IS OPEN. FILL OUT THIS SECTION ONLY IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR AN EXEMPTION ON THIS GROUND. PURCHASE DATE: PLEASE INCLUDE A COPY OF DOCUMENTS PROVING PURCHASE WITH THIS APPLICATION. WE WILL INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY STATUS OF REHABILITATION. ACTIVE MAINTENANCE EXEMPTION 4 IF THERE ARE NO CODE VIOLATIONS AT THE BUILDING, AS DETERMINED BY OUR OFFICE, OR WE RECEIVE A STAMPED ARCHITECT OR ENGINEER’S LETTER CONFIRMING THAT THERE ARE NO CODE VIOLATIONS AT THE PROPERTY AN EXEMPTION FROM THE FEE WILL BE GRANTED. THE COST OF AN INSPECTION BY OUR OFFICE IS $75. THIS $75 FEE MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THIS APPLICATION. IN THE EVENT THE BUILDING MUST BE REGISTERED, THIS $75 MAY BE CREDITED TOWARDS THE COST OF REGISTRATION. FILL OUT THIS SECTION ONLY IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR AN EXEMPTION ON THIS GROUND. IF YOU ARE REQUESTING AN INSPECTION, INDICATE BELOW WHEN YOU WOULD LIKE IT TO HAPPEN. UNLESS THE DATE REQUESTED IS LESS THAN 7 DAYS AFTER THIS FORM IS RECEIVED OR IF IT IS INCOMPLETE THE INSPECTOR WILL ARRIVE IN THE WINDOW SELECTED UNLESS YOU OTHERWISE HEAR FROM US. DATE: TIME: 9AM–10AM 10AM–11AM 11AM–12PM 12PM–1PM 1PM–2PM 2PM–3PM IF YOU ARE SUBMITTING A STAMPED ARCHITECT’S OR ENGINEER’S LETTER, AFFIX A COPY TO THIS APPLICATION. DISASTER EXEMPTION 5 IF THE BUILDING IS VACANT AS A RESULT OF A FIRE OR NATURAL DISASTER, YOU MAY BE ENTITLED TO A 6 MONTH EXEMPTION FROM THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRATION FEE. FILL OUT THIS SECTION ONLY IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR AN EXEMPTION ON THIS GROUND. DATE OF THE EVENT THAT LED TO BUILDING VACANCY: BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE EVENT THAT LED TO BUILDING VACANCY: ---PAGE BREAK--- Page 2 of 2 BUILDING ADDRESS: DETERMINATION (STAFF USE ONLY) FOR THE REASONS OUTLINED THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS & REGULATORY COMPLIANCE CANNOT GRANT THE APPLIED FOR VACANT BUILDING REGISTRATION FEE EXEMPTION AT THIS TIME. BASED UPON THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THIS APPLICATION AND THE DOCUMENTS PROVIDED THEREIN, THE CITY OF ALBANY DEPARTMENT OF BUILDINGS AND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE GRANTS AN EXEMPTION FROM THE VACANT BUILDING REGISTRATION FEE TO THE APPLICANT WITH RESPECT TO THE ABOVE REFERENCED PROPERTY FOR ONE YEAR FROM THE FOLLOWING DATE DIRECTOR Vacant Building Registration Information General. Registration must be completed annually regardless of whether the fee exemption is granted. We will endeavor to notify you of the expiration of your registration before it happens, but it is the responsibility of the owner to maintain compliance with the registry. Fee Exemptions. Fee exemptions are available for new building owners who are making a good faith effort to rehabilitate the building, where the building has been damaged in a fire or natural disaster, or an inspection has been performed by this Department and no interior or exterior code violations are found. Active Rehab Exemption (Box If you purchased the property in the last six months and have applied for the necessary permits to rehab and reoccupy the building and are actively working on the building, you may be entitled to an exemption from the registration fee for up to a year after you have received a permit from our office to perform the necessary work. The applicant must provide proof of purchase and the date of purchase. We will determine from our records whether active rehabilitation is occurring. This will be evidenced by permits issued and our having been called to perform required inspections of the work. Active Maintenance Exemption (Box If there are no code violations at the property, as determined by our office, or we receive a stamped architect or engineer’s letter confirming that there are no code violations at the property an exemption from the fee will be granted. The cost of an inspection by our office is $75. This $75 fee must be submitted with this application. In the event the building must be registered, this $75 may be credited towards the cost of registration. Disaster Exemption (Box If the building is vacant as a result of a fire or natural disaster, you may be entitled to a 6 month exemption from the vacant building registration fee. Disasters do not include flooding related to damaged plumbing and the damage done by the disaster must be substantial enough to have rendered the building unsafe and unfit for human occupation. Getting the Building Off Your Hands. If you intend to abandon the property, let us know. We may be able to put you in contact with organizations interested in receiving the building as a tax deductible donation or purchasing it for a nominal fee. Tax Credits. If your building is located in an historic district, you will be able to deduct the bulk of any rehab costs from your taxes through the NYS Historic Tax credit program. See for more information. Available Grants. As a vacant building owner, you are likely eligible for up to $50,000 in grants programs for the rehabilitation and reoccupation of vacant buildings. Let us know if you are interested in applying. Emergency Action. The City of Albany will take emergency action, including demolition, where a building poses an immediate threat to the public and bill the owner for the cost of the work. The City of Albany does not actively monitor any non-City owned buildings’ for structural integrity or code compliance and it remains the owner’s sole responsibility to maintain the building to ensure it complies with all laws and is safe. In accepting a vacant building registration, the City of Albany is making no representation that the building is safe or that it will take responsibility for maintenance or monitoring of the building.