Rental Housing Inspector 1

You must review important information on the New York State Department of Civil Service COVID-19 policy that applies to all candidates sitting for in-person Civil Service examinations being administered at a New York State test center. You can access our full policy on the Department of Civil Service website.

Due to current testing space limitations, candidates may need to travel to a test site to take this examination. Candidates will be notified of their test site location on their admission notice.

Appointees who work in the five boroughs of New York City or in Nassau, Suffolk, Rockland, or Westchester Counties will receive an additional $3,026 annual downstate adjustment. Appointees who work in Dutchess, Orange, or Putnam Counties will receive an additional $1,513 annual mid-Hudson adjustment.

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Minimum Qualifications

On or before April 22, 2023, you must have:

Either 1. two years of qualifying experience;*

Or 2. successful completion of an accredited certificate program in building trades AND one year of qualifying experience;*

Or 3. completion of an apprenticeship program in the construction field AND one year of qualifying experience;*

Or 4. 60 semester credit hours of college-level study in construction or building trades technology AND one year of qualifying experience.*

*Qualifying experience: For the purposes of this examination, is full-time experience in any combination of building construction or building maintenance** of multi-dwellings,*** OR conducting building inspections.

**Building maintenance is defined as: conducting regular inspections of buildings to identify areas that need attention AND then performing the tasks to fix or repair problems; or performing preventive maintenance operations.

***Multi-dwellings are defined as: dwellings which are either rented, leased, let or hired out, to be occupied, or are occupied as the residence or home of THREE or more families living independently of each other.

• If you expect to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 2023, you can take the test. You MUST submit proof of successful completions of the educational requirements to the hiring agency at the time of the employment interview or you will not be considered for appointment. Failure to meet the educational requirements by September 30, 2023, may result in your removal from the eligible list.
• Your required educational credentials must have been awarded by an educational institution accredited by a regional, national, or specialized agency recognized as an accrediting agency by the United States (U.S.) Department of Education/Secretary of Education. If awarded by an institution outside of the U.S. and its territories, you must provide independent verification of equivalency. A list of companies that provide these services (fees must be paid to the company you choose) can be found at: http://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/degrees.cfm.
• If verifiable, we will accept and prorate appropriate part-time and volunteer experience.
• New York State residency is not required.

Examples of Qualifying Experience may include: Facilities and Maintenance Management, Property Management, Heating/Ventilation/Air Conditioning (HVAC) Technician, Plumber, Contracts Manager, Construction Site Manager, Construction Laborer, Carpenter, Electrician, or Residential Insurance Inspector.

Examples of non-qualifying experience include but are not limited to: Experience primarily involving custodial duties (e.g., garbage removal or cleaning), real estate sales, or grounds maintenance are NOT qualifying experience.

Additional Requirements for Appointment:

1. Background Investigation: Due to the nature of these positions, there may be an investigative screening which could include a thorough character investigation. All convictions must be reported. Conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or any falsified or omitted information may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment. Each case is determined on its own merit, consistent with the applicable provisions of state and federal laws.
2. If you pass the examination and apply to a title which requires language proficiency, you must demonstrate your language proficiency at a level that will ensure your ability to perform the duties of the position properly. The proficiency test will only be given to enough candidates to fill current vacancies.

The Positions: These positions exist in the New York State Division of Housing and Community Renewal in several downstate locations.

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Duties

As a Rental Housing Inspector 1, you would make field inspections of housing accommodations throughout the five counties of New York City as well as in Westchester, Rockland, Nassau, and Ulster Counties. You would make these field inspections to examine and evaluate rental conditions and to obtain or verify information pertinent to the disposition of applications filed by landlords or tenants under the provisions of various rent control and rent stabilization laws and regulations. You would review assigned cases for inspection; inspect various aspects of dwellings, buildings, and accompanying property; and prepare written reports of your findings. You must be able to use an agency supplied iPad or computer system to report findings, attach photographs and diagrams. You may be required to testify in hearings regarding your findings.

As a Rental Housing Inspector 1 (Spanish Language), you would perform the above duties in areas with a high concentration of Spanish-speaking individuals.

Important: The duties of these positions involve strenuous physical activity such as climbing stairs and ladders to inspect roofs or basements and lifting of heavy objects such as trap doors or skylights.

Notes:

1. Travel Requirements: Appointment to certain positions requires extensive travel within an area of assignment. Appointees may need to operate a motor vehicle or have other means to meet the transportation needs of the job. If the position requires that you operate a motor vehicle, you must continuously have a valid New York State driver?s license to continue employment. Field work and travel expenses are reimbursed on a fixed schedule. Overnight travel may be required.
2. If you submit an application for an examination with a language parenthetic, an application will automatically be submitted for you for the non-language examination at no additional cost.

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Subject of Examination

To be considered for appointment to this title, you must pass the written test. The written test evaluates your knowledge, skills, and/or abilities in the following areas:

1. Preparing written material - These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.
2. Evaluating information and evidence - These questions test the candidates' abilities to evaluate and draw conclusions from information and evidence. Each question consists of a set of facts and a conclusion based on the facts. The candidate must decide if a conclusion is warranted by the facts.
3. Understanding and interpreting written material - These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.
4. Building terminology - These questions test for knowledge of the terminology associated with building construction and the basic physical components of buildings.

Your final score must be 70 or higher in order to pass. Your final score on the eligible list will be determined after adding any wartime Veterans' and Civil Service Law Section 85-a credits.

Note: The Department of Civil Service may administer tests either online or with paper booklets and answer sheets.

Admission to the test: If approved for a written test, you will receive an admission notice which will indicate your assigned test date and the way your test will be administered. Your test may be administered with paper and pencil, online at a state test site using a state-provided Chromebook, or online. You cannot request to change your scheduled day or request a specific type of test administration.

Applicants are required to have a Personal NY.gov account and keep their email address up to date. The Department of Civil Service and other state agencies will communicate with you through email correspondence. This may include the notification of your test arrangements, examination results, and canvassing you for interest in appointment. It will be important for you to keep your email address, phone number, and mailing address current by logging into https://www.cs.ny.gov/home/myaccount.

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How To Apply

This announcement is for viewing purposes only.

Important: Unless waived, you must pay the non-refundable processing fee. For information on fee waivers, visit https://www.cs.ny.gov/examannouncements/types/oc/appinfo.cfm##Fee. Any past due application processing fees must be paid in full prior to submitting an application. Please email FeeUnitMail@cs.ny.gov regarding inquiries about any past due fee. It is important that you verify that you entered the correct examination number and title on your online or paper application prior to submitting. If you apply online, you should immediately review your email confirmation notice to verify that you applied for the correct examination.




Additional Information

New York State is an Equal Opportunity Employer

It is the policy of the State of New York to provide for and promote equal opportunity employment, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment without unlawful discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, disability, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, veteran or military service member status, marital status, domestic violence victim status, genetic predisposition or carrier status, arrest and/or criminal conviction record, or any other category protected by law, unless based upon a bona fide occupational qualification or other exception.

Appointment to many positions in State government require candidates to undergo an investigative screening. This may include a thorough character investigation, a Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Record History Check, a Child Abuse Registry clearance, or other similar procedures. Candidates may be fingerprinted and may be required to pay any necessary fees for that procedure. Depending on the nature of the job, the criminal convictions discovered, or any falsified or omitted information revealed, the investigative findings may bar appointment or result in removal after appointment.

Eligibility for Employment

You must be legally eligible to work in the United States at the time of appointment and throughout your employment with New York State. If appointed, you must produce documents that establish your identity and eligibility to work in the United States, as required by the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and the Immigration and Nationality Act.

Religious Accommodation

Most written tests are held on Saturdays. If you cannot take the test on the announced test date, due to a conflict with a religious observance or practice, check the box under “Religious Accommodation.” We will make arrangements for you to take the test on a different date (usually the following day).

Reasonable Accommodations in Testing

It is the policy of the Department of Civil Service, in accordance with the New York State Human Rights Law and the Americans with Disabilities Act, to provide qualified persons with disabilities equal employment opportunity and equal opportunity to participate in and receive the benefits, services, programs, and activities of the Department. It is the policy of the Department to provide such persons reasonable accommodations and reasonable modifications as are necessary to provide equal opportunity. Persons with disabilities who require an accommodation to participate in an examination must note this on their application. Further information is available from the Test Administration Unit of the Department of Civil Service. In the Albany area, call 518-457-2487. Outside of the Albany area, call toll free at 1-877-697-5627. For TDD services, call NY Relay at 711 (requires a fee) or 1-800-662-1220.

Admission to Examination

Notice to appear for the test may be conditional as review of applications may not be made until after the test. If you have not received your notice to appear for the written test three days before the date of the test, email us at AdmissionNotices@cs.ny.gov. Please provide your first and last name, address, and the last four digits of your social security number, and we will provide you with the information you need to attend your written test. If you have an issue other than not receiving your admission notice, please contact our office at (518) 474-6470 in the Albany area or toll free at 1-877-697-5627. Please leave a clear concise message and provide your first and last name, last four digits of your social security number and a daytime phone number.

Taking State and Local Examinations Scheduled for the Same Day

If you have applied to take a written test announced by either one or several local jurisdictions (county, town, city) scheduled to be held on the same test date as this written test, you must notify each of the local jurisdictions no later than two weeks before the test date to make arrangements for taking all tests at one test site. All tests will be held at the state examination center. For your convenience, contact information for all local civil service agencies is available on our website at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/jobseeker/local.cfm.

Cell Phones or Electronic/Communication Devices at the Test Site

The use of cell phones, beepers, headphones, or any electronic or other communication devices at your personal testing site or in the test room, hallways, restrooms, building, grounds, or other areas, except as expressly authorized by the Department of Civil Service, could result in your disqualification.

S2/TC1 CPG-dah
Issued: 2/3/2322

This announcement is subject to amendment or cancellation without notice. Do not copy it, or post it to any other site, but link to it instead.

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