Mandatory Structural and Facade
Inspections - Ordinance 21-054

Under Ordinance 21-054, structural and facade inspections must be conducted by a Registered
Architect or Professional Engineer for Concrete Buildings taller than six (6) and any masonry facades taller than four (4) stories. A Licensed Professional Engineer or Registered Architect must conduct this inspection. Stone Engineering & Architecture, DPC, can assist our clients in staying in compliance with NJ's Ordinance requirement. 

Jersey City Ordinance 21-054, Jersey City, New Jersey

Ordinance of the City of Jersey City, N.J. 21-054, requires that Owners of buildings to follow a Structural and Facade Inspection Requirement to all existing buildings or buildings constructed after the time of the ordinance posting. 
Amid growing concerns for building safety, Jersey City enacted Building Ordinance 21-054 in August 2021 requiring routine facade and structural inspections of certain buildings in Jersey City.The overriding goal of this ordinance is to ensure that these routine inspections maintain the safety of the building over an extended period of time. 

What are the requirements established by Ordinance 21-054?
Under Ordinance 21-054, structural and facade inspections must be conducted by a Registered Architect or Professional Engineer according to the following requirements:

Structural Inspection Requirements for Concrete buildings taller than six (6) stories:
The inspection must include:
• Foundations
• Balconies
• All structural members
• Waterproofing
A checklist for the visual inspection can be found here. 
Filing Deadlines: Inspections must be conducted every ten (10) years and filing must be completed by December 31 of the year an inspection is mandated. The initial structural inspection must be completed by December 31, 2022. Subsequent inspections must include a complete review of the most recent report.

Facade Inspection Requirements for buildings taller than six (6) stories or any building with a masonry facade four (4) stories or higher:
The inspection must include, but is not limited to:
• All exterior walls and appurtenances. 
A checklist for the visual inspection can be found here.
Filing deadlines: Inspections must be conducted every five (5) years and filing must be completed by December 31 of the year an inspection is mandated. The initial facade inspection must be completed by December 31, 2023. For subsequent inspections, the facade inspection must include a complete review of the most recent report.

SAFE: The building’s façades do not contain any conditions that would cause them to be classified as UNSAFE. A SAFE classification means that, in the judgment of the registered architect or professional engineer, the building will not become UNSAFE during the next 5-years.

UNSAFE: The building’s façades contain at least one (1) or more conditions which are either an immediate hazard to the public or, if not repaired within 12 months, will pose a hazard to the public. 

Inspection Report Requirements
Following the structural and facade inspections, written inspection reports prepared by an Architect or Engineer must be submitted to the Jersey City Division of the Construction Code Official within 30 days of the inspection.
The inspection reports must:
1. Certify the results of the inspection.
2. Clearly document the condition of the building’s structure (in the case of a structural inspection) or building’s facade (for facade inspections), and note the conditions as safe or unsafe.
3. If needed, provide repair and maintenance recommendations including a timeline for which all repairs must be made.

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