People v. 230 West 54th Street Corp.

135 Misc. 2d 502, 516 N.Y.S.2d 395, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2255
CourtCriminal Court of the City of New York
DecidedMay 4, 1987
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 135 Misc. 2d 502 (People v. 230 West 54th Street Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Criminal Court of the City of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
People v. 230 West 54th Street Corp., 135 Misc. 2d 502, 516 N.Y.S.2d 395, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2255 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1987).

Opinion

OPINION OF THE COURT

Louis York, J.

Does the omission of the word "willful” invalidate section 558 (e) of the New York City Charter and render an accusatory instrument based on this section jurisdictionally defective? This is the major question before the court among the issues raised by the five defendants in two separate motions to dismiss the charges against them.

The defendants are alleged to be in control of the premises known as the Bryant Hotel in which two thirds of the residents are homeless welfare recipients housed at considerable [503]*503public expense. The defendants are charged under sections 558 (e) and 562 of the New York City Charter for permitting, allowing, and maintaining conditions in the hotel in violation of the New York City Health Code.

Specifically, the conditions alleged to exist in the hotel include roach infestation and rat and mice excreta in violation of section 151.03 of the New York City Health Code; maintaining a nuisance by lack of window stops (guards) or improperly installed window stops in violation of section 3.11 of the New York City Health Code; and numerous allegations of unsafe and unsanitary conditions such as falling ceilings, crumbling plaster, peeling paint, defective plumbing and a general state of filth and disrepair in violation of section 131.01 of the New York City Health Code.

THE MOTIONS TO DISMISS

The defendants’ main contention is that the information is jurisdictionally defective and must be dismissed because it is based on sections 558 (e) and 562 of the New York City Charter which are inconsistent with State law (Public Health Law § 12-b) and, therefore, invalid. Since the People have agreed to dismiss the charges under section 562 of the New York City Charter, its validity is no longer before the court and will not be addressed here.

Section 558 (e) of the New York City Charter is the penalty provision for violations of the New York City Health Code. It provides in pertinent part: "Any violation of the health code shall be treated and punished as a misdemeanor.”

Section 12-b (1) of the Public Health Law provides in pertinent part: "A person who wilfully violates or refuses or omits to comply with any lawful order or regulation prescribed by any local board of health or local health officer, is guilty of a misdemeanor”.

The defendants contend that the omission of the word "willful” invalidates section 558 (e) of the New York City Charter because "willful” is a material element of the crime charged under Public Health Law § 12-b. They further argue that regardless of the inconsistency, section 558 (e) must specify a culpable mental state because violation of the New York City Health Code is not a strict liability offense. Accordingly, they move to dismiss the information as jurisdictionally defective.

It has long been established that New York City has the [504]*504police power to enact and enforce laws such as section 558 (e) of the New York City Charter for the protection, safety, health and well-being of persons and property within its control under Municipal Home Rule Law § 10 (1) (ii) (a) (11); (4) (a), (b); and article IX, § 2 (c) of the NY Constitution. (People v Blanchard, 288 NY 145 [1942].)

The question before the court is whether section 558 (e) is preempted or inconsistent with State law. Section 228 (3) of the State Public Health Law allows a locality to enact and enforce its own health codes provided that the local law meets the minimum applicable standards set forth in the State Sanitary Code (Health Code). In granting the localities this power, the State has disclaimed any intention to preempt or supersede local health codes and their enforcement mechanisms. (Monroe-Livingston Sanitary Landfill v Town of Caledonia, 51 NY2d 679 [1980].)

The penalty provision for the State Sanitary Code under Public Health Law § 229 provides: "the non-compliance or non-conformance with any provision thereof shall constitute a violation”. This provision is also found in the State Sanitary Code itself at 10 NYCRR 1.21 and sets the minimum penalty under the State scheme to be a violation. In charging a misdemeanor for violations of the New York City Health Code, section 558 (e) is deemed consistent with Public Health Law § 229 and 10 NYCRR 1.21 under Public Health Law § 228 (3) by meeting the minimum standard imposed by State law.

Furthermore, case law has shown that laws dealing with the same subject matter are not always incompatible because they are not identical (People v Lewis, 295 NY 42 [1945]). Section 558 (e) merely supplements Public Health Law § 229 by providing a heavier penalty. Such action is both reasonable and warranted given the existence of a large population in a small area and the effect of unsanitary conditions such as substandard dwellings in New York City. Section 558 (e) does not prohibit what the State law permits, or allow what the State law prohibits. (People v Lewis, supra; People v Ortiz, 125 Misc 2d 318 [Crim Ct, Bronx County 1984].)

Moreover, section 558 (e) of the New York City Charter has been ratified by the State Legislature in adopting other amendments to that section in Laws of 1980 (ch 221). In doing so, it is assumed that the Legislature was aware of the existence of the State statutory scheme and saw no inconsistency.

[505]*505This court disagrees with defendants’ contentions that Public Health Law § 12-b is the applicable State standard for assessing the penalty provision for violations of the New York City Health Code. The purpose of Public Health Law § 12-b (1) is to allow the State itself to prosecute willful violations, refusals, or omissions to comply with local health board regulations. Public Health Law § 12-b (1) was not designed to supersede or preempt local regulations pertaining to health code violations as the State has already addressed the issue of local health codes in Public Health Law §§ 228, 229. Furthermore, New York City is exempt from the formation and guidelines pertaining to local health boards under Public Health Law § 312.

In any event, this court sees no difference between the material elements needed for a prosecution of a New York City Health Code violation under Public Health Law § 12-b or section 558 (e). The term "willful” in Public Health Law § 12-b is not one of the four culpable mental states listed under Penal Law § 15.05. Therefore, the definition of this term has been left to case law in which "willful” has been defined in accordance with the underlying offense.

When the underlying offense has been one of strict liability, it has been held that "willful” under Public Health Law § 12-b is superfluous and does not require the finding of a culpable mental state but rather that the defendant’s actions were "deliberate and voluntary”. (People v Flushing Hosp. & Med. Center, 122 Misc 2d 260, 264 [Crim Ct, Queens County 1983]; People v Angelakos, 128 Misc 2d 844, affd 132 Misc 2d 1 [App Term, 1st Dept 1986].)

Contrary to the assertions of both sides in this action, this court finds that a violation of the New York City Health Code to be one of strict liability. A plain reading of section 558 (e) and Public Health Law § 229 shows a legislative intent to make any violation punishable by law without the showing of a culpable mental state.

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Related

People v. Seeley
179 Misc. 2d 42 (New York Supreme Court, 1998)
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148 Misc. 2d 816 (Criminal Court of the City of New York, 1990)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
135 Misc. 2d 502, 516 N.Y.S.2d 395, 1987 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 2255, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/people-v-230-west-54th-street-corp-nycrimct-1987.