Require Faster Cleanup of Dog Waste on City Blocks
Enacted on Oct 26, 2026
Signed into Law
Local Law 2026/154
✦ Plain-Language Summary
If a city block gets at least 3 complaints about dog waste within one week, the Department of Sanitation must take action. They can either clean it up themselves or notify property owners to remove it, and fine those who don't comply. This aims to keep sidewalks and public spaces cleaner for all New Yorkers.
The story behind this bill
Why it was introduced
More New Yorkers own dogs, and 311 complaints about dog waste rose after winter storms disrupted street cleaning. State law already requires owners to pick up after their dogs, but the city had no set process for Sanitation to respond when complaints piled up on a single block. This bill creates that process.
At the hearings
Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management · 2026-05-19
Chair Sanchez introduced his bill as part of a larger street-cleanliness hearing. DSNY's Commissioner said the agency shared frustration with repeat offenders but worried that if 311 complaints spiked, the 3-complaint threshold could overwhelm resources.
In support
- Council Member Justin Sanchez (sponsor): DSNY should have to act once a block gets repeated dog waste complaints, either cleaning it or ticketing owners.
- Juan Sarati, Bushwick resident: Dog waste is a public health issue and the city should focus on both education and enforcement.
Raised concerns
- DSNY Commissioner Gregory Anderson: Only 63 blocks met the 3-complaint threshold so far this year, but creating the incentive could make 311 calls spike, straining resources.
- Council Member Shahana Hanif: Wanted to know whether DSNY tracks any link between dog waste and rat complaints to better target enforcement.
City agencies: DSNY said it shares the council's frustration with repeat offenders but raised concerns about practical application if complaint volume rose, and noted enforcement is hard because officers must witness the violation.
“DSNY shares the council's frustration with repeat offenders who make certain blocks entirely unwalkable.”
“So far this calendar year, 63 blocks would meet the 3 complaints within a 7-day period, uh, as outlined in the bill.”
Show 1 more hearing
Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management · 2026-09-10
The committee voted on an amended version, 906-A, which raised the complaint threshold from 3 to 7 and changed the required action to dispatching DSNY employees to evaluate and enforce, rather than cleaning or issuing violations directly. It passed unanimously.
In support
- Council Member Justin Sanchez (sponsor): The amended bill requires DSNY to send staff to evaluate and enforce against dog waste after repeated complaints on a block.
“Introduction number 906-A would require DSNY, upon receiving seven or more credible complaints of dog waste on the same city block within a seven-day period, to dispatch employees within 14 days to evaluate the block and enforce, as appropriate, state and local prohibitions against animal waste in public spaces.”
How it turned out
The Council passed the amended bill (906-A) 47-2 with 1 abstention on September 10, 2026, and sent it to the Mayor. The Mayor did not sign or veto it; the official record shows it was returned unsigned on October 13, 2026, after the Mayor adopted a City Charter Rule on October 10, 2026, meaning the bill became law without the Mayor's signature.
What changed along the way
- Raised the complaint threshold from at least 3 complaints to 7 or more credible complaints on the same block within 7 days.
- Changed DSNY's required response from directly removing waste or issuing violations to dispatching employees within 14 days to evaluate and enforce as appropriate.
- Added co-sponsors Farías and Cabán when the bill was reintroduced as 906-A.
What the record doesn’t say
- The documents do not explain why the Mayor chose to let the bill become law without a signature rather than signing or vetoing it.
- The record does not say why Council Members Brewer, Hudson, and Sanchez voted no or abstained beyond Brewer's stated floor comment that she liked the bill but didn't think it was enforceable; Hudson's and Sanchez's reasons are not given.
- The documents do not explain why the threshold was changed from 3 to 7 complaints between the May and September versions.
Sources
- Memorandum in Support
- Committee Report 5/19/26
- Proposed Int. No. 906-A Fiscal Impact Statement - City Council
- Committee Report 9/10/26
- Hearing Transcript 5/19/26
- Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 9-10-26
- Hearing Transcript 9/10/26
Written by AI from official Council records. Votes and status come from the record; quotes are checked word for word against the official hearing transcripts.
Details
- Introduced
- May 14, 2026
- Passed Council
- Oct 10, 2026
- Enacted
- Oct 10, 2026
- Body
- Committee on Sanitation and Solid Waste Management
- Type
- Introduction
- Status
- Enacted
Official Description
This bill would require DSNY, upon receiving 7 or more credible complaints of dog waste on the same city block within a 7-day period, to dispatch employees within 14 days to evaluate the block and enforce, as appropriate, state and local prohibitions against animal waste in public spaces.