Melani General Contractor helps owners adapt to new NYC board sign-off rule

New York City’s Department of Buildings now requires co-op and condo boards to formally approve shareholder and unit-owner permit filings inside DOB NOW: Build. Melani General Contractor says the change can delay renovations unless board approval and DOB permitting are coordinated from the start. Why it matters: - The new DOB rule adds a mandatory approval step for co-op and condo renovations across the five boroughs. - Owners can no longer rely on a filing being submitted by an architect or contractor alone. - A permit can stall if a building has not completed its sign-off inside DOB NOW: Build. - The change is especially important for projects involving plumbing, electrical or structural work. What happened: - On Jan. 26, 2026, the New York City Department of Buildings reinstated and updated a requirement for co-op and condo boards, or their authorized representatives, to formally sign off on permit applications filed by shareholders and unit owners. - The attestation confirms that proposed alterations have board approval. - The requirement is now built into DOB NOW: Build, the city’s online filing portal. - Melani General Contractor, a Park Slope-based renovation firm, is helping owners adjust to the new process. The details: - The board sign-off step did not previously exist at the filing stage in this form. - The rule is meant to prevent individual owners from filing for major work without the building’s knowledge. - Melani General Contractor says it manages board approval and DOB filings in parallel. - The firm prepares alteration agreement packages with architectural plans, insurance certificates, scope-of-work descriptions and construction schedules. - The firm then files DOB applications and coordinates the board sign-off so the two tracks align. - The company says experience in hundreds of managed buildings helps it anticipate building-specific requirements before the first board meeting. - Mike Melani, founder of Melani General Contractor, said the new sign-off step can stall a permit for weeks if the board package and filing are not aligned from day one. - Melani General Contractor advises owners to treat board approval and DOB permitting as one connected process. - The firm says that approach is especially important for filed plans prepared by a licensed professional. Between the lines: - The rule shifts renovations from a mostly filing-driven process to a building-coordination process. - That increases the risk of delays for owners who treat board approval as separate from DOB review. - Contractors that already know building rules, alteration-agreement norms and landmark requirements may have an advantage in keeping projects moving. - Melani General Contractor is using the policy change to position itself as a process manager, not just a builder. What’s next: - Owners planning co-op or condo renovations can schedule a free on-site consultation to review how the updated permitting process applies to their building. - Melani General Contractor says it will continue guiding five-borough projects from board submission and DOB permitting through final inspection. - The firm says its work covers kitchen and bathroom remodels, brownstone and townhouse restorations, loft buildouts and full gut renovations. - Melani General Contractor lists NYC General Contractor License #626219, active through December 2028, plus EPA Lead-Safe certification. - More information is available in the company’s announcement .