Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the city’s Department of Finance (DOF) Commissioner Richard Lee announced on Tuesday a new 90-day Debt Demolisher program that will allow New York businesses and homeowners to resolve outstanding city fines at a reduced cost and avoid future penalties. Under the program, participants with outstanding debt may be eligible to have accrued interest waived and resolve related debt at a discount.
“City government shouldn’t saddle New Yorkers with endless fines and interest,” Mamdani said in a statement. “When the city issues a fine, the goal is to incentivize compliance with the rules that keep all of us safe and healthy, not make it impossible to grow your business or repair your home. Debt Demolisher makes it more affordable for small business owners and homeowners to get back into good standing, move forward and avoid future penalties.”
According to the mayor’s office, the program will also help the city benefit from fines that otherwise would have gone unpaid. The city expects to receive $25 million that would have remained uncollected.
Program participants will be required to comply with the violations that led to the initial judgments, helping them avoid future penalties while improving safety throughout the city.
Fines include Environmental Control Board (ECB) judgments for unpaid violations issued by the Department of Sanitation, Department of Buildings, and Department of Transportation.
All outstanding ECB judgments are eligible for the program except the following:
- It was entered in court (docketed) after July 15, 2026.
- It was included in an agreement with the Sheriff’s Office or a New York City Marshal, the corporation counsel, or a contractor of the corporation counsel.
- It is for a violation that was issued pursuant to a citizen’s complaint, such as for idling or noise violations, served upon a city agency.
- An execution has been issued for enforcement to the Sheriff’s Office or a New York City Marshal.
- The violation has been converted to a tax lien.
- The violation is the subject of a criminal investigation.
The program will run through January 10, 2027. Find out more at nyc.gov/debtdemolisher.
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