The owner of a vacant lot must keep the lot clean, sanitary, and free of debris and litter. If the owner of a vacant lot fails to comply with the provisions of this section, the DSNY may provide for the cleaning of the lot at the expense of the property owner. In addition, whenever the Department of Transportation (DOT) orders such improvements, the owner of a vacant lot must erect a fence around the lot and fill any sunken part of the lot and/or cut down any raised part of the lot. If the owner fails to comply with this section, the DOT may fence the lot, fill in the lot, or raise the lot at the owner's expense.

Littering, sweeping, throwing, or casting any material such as ashes, garbage, paper, dust or other refuse or rubbish into or upon any street or public place, vacant lot, air shaft, areaway, backyard, court, or alley is illegal. Throwing refuse out of windows (i.e., buildings or vehicles) is also a violation. In addition, no person may allow anyone under his/her control (agent or employee) to commit a littering, sweep-out, or throw-out violation. Merchants must put all sweepings into suitable garbage receptacles for pick-up by a private carter. Residential units must put sweepings into suitable garbage receptacles for pick-up by the DSNY. Sanitation litter baskets may not be used for this purpose.

It is illegal for any person to paste, post, paint, print, nail or attach or affix by any means whatsoever any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material upon any curb, gutter, flagstone, tree, lamppost, awning post, telegraph pole, telephone pole, public utility pole, public garbage bin, bus shelter, bridge, elevated train structure, highway fence, barrel, box, parking meter, mailbox, traffic control device, traffic stanchion, traffic sign (including pole), tree box, tree pit protection device, bench, traffic barrier, hydrant or other similar public item on any street. There is a rebuttable presumption that the person whose name, telephone number, or other identifying information appears on any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker, or other printed material on any item or structure is in violation. Every handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material shall be deemed a separate violation. Anyone found to have violated this provision, in addition to any penalty imposed, shall also be responsible for the cost of removal of the unauthorized postings.

It is illegal for any person to affix any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material upon any tree by means of nailing or piercing the tree by any method and it shall have an additional penalty imposed equal to the amount of the original penalty. There is a rebuttable presumption that the person whose name, telephone number, or other identifying information appears on any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker, or other printed material on any item or structure is in violation. Every handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material shall be deemed a separate violation. Anyone found to have violated this provision, in addition to any penalty imposed, shall also be responsible for the cost of the removal of the unauthorized postings.

In accordance with State law, it is illegal for any person to affix any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material on any windshield, under windshield wipers, or on read windows of motor vehicles. Fines start at $75 per handbill, poster, sticker, or other form of advertisement. There is a rebuttable presumption that the person whose name, telephone number, or other identifying information appears on any handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material is in violation. Every handbill, poster, notice, sign, advertisement, sticker or other printed material shall be deemed a separate violation.