The video from the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, posted in both English<\/a> and Spanish<\/a>, was made in response to a report made by a tenant association to Cea Weaver, a longtime tenant organizer and director of the Mayor\u2019s Office to Protect Tenants.<\/p>\n The tenant association passed along information about an incident it said occurred in early February.<\/p>\n \u201cWe heard from tenants in Crown Heights that there was someone buzzing on the doors saying that they were an HPD code inspector and that they were trying to get access to the building, and that it felt weird for the tenants,\u201d Weaver said Thursday at the city\u2019s first Rental Ripoff Hearing<\/a> in Brooklyn. \u201cThey called us, and they called their neighbors, and they were able to discern that it was not an HPD code enforcement inspector.\u201d<\/p>\n THE CITY was not able to verify the account right away. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security didn\u2019t return a request for comment right away.\u00a0<\/p>\n HPD made the video out of an abundance of caution, according to spokesperson Ilana Maier.<\/p>\n \u201cNo one should have to question whether the person at their door is truly there to help,\u201d she said in a statement. \u201cThe very idea of someone posing as an HPD inspector is deeply disturbing. New Yorkers need to know that when someone shows up at their door claiming to represent the City, it\u2019s legitimate.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe know it can be frightening when someone unexpected shows up at your door, especially with increased immigration enforcement,\u201d a voice in the video narrates on top of images of HPD inspectors. \u201cHere\u2019s how to know it\u2019s really us.\u201d<\/p>\n The video explains that inspectors respond to 311 complaints and may need access to a building to examine conditions. HPD inspectors, the video says, carry city-issued badges and identification, wear uniforms with the name of the agency and identify themselves by name and with their agency association.<\/p>\n Inspectors will never ask about immigration status, wear a bulletproof vest or ask for personal documents unrelated to housing, the video explains.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf someone claims to be from the city and something doesn\u2019t feel right, you don\u2019t have to let them in,\u201d the video said, which ends with a link to resources about rights<\/a> regardless of immigration status.<\/p>\n Officials and organizers in Minneapolis received reports<\/a> of federal agents pretending to be delivery drivers, construction workers and even anti-ICE protestors amid the crackdown there this winter.<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/hpd_inspector_vid-1.jpg\")
The Department of Housing and Preservation produced a video on how tenants can ensure people claiming to be housing inspectors are really with the city. Credit: Screengrab via nychousing\/Instagram<\/p>\n