# NYC Buildings & DOB Permits AI Agent Connect > NYC Buildings & DOB Permits MCP provides direct access to the city's building permit and property record stack. Your AI client can pull DOB permit filings, building violations, housing code issues, PLUTO parcel records, and vacant storefront data without needing an API key. It turns NYC Open Data into actionable intelligence for your agent. ## Overview - **Category:** data-analytics - **Price:** Free - **Endpoint:** https://edge.vinkius.com/vk_preview_eGeKbgdPQ4n203kA0moL1GprpEk6MX5HfH3UpB9K/ai-agent-connect - **Tags:** new-york, nyc, buildings, dob, permits, pluto, housing ## Description You can query the entire NYC building and property data stack through a single interface. Instead of digging through various city portals, you can ask your AI client to find specific permit filings, check for active building violations, or pull zoning details from PLUTO. Whether you are tracking construction trends in a specific borough or performing due diligence on a single property, this MCP handles the heavy lifting. You can filter DOB permits by work type or status, look up housing code violations by building ID, or analyze commercial vacancy rates using the city's annual storefront survey. It works by connecting your agent directly to the NYC Open Data ecosystem, making complex property research as simple as asking a question. ## Tools ### count_permit_activity This tool counts DOB permit filings based on your filters. Use it to gauge construction volume in a specific area before pulling individual records. ### search_dob_complaints This tool searches public DOB complaints. You can filter by building number, street, or category to see if a property has open issues. ### search_dob_permits This tool searches for NYC DOB building permit filings. It covers New Buildings, Alterations, and Changes of Occupancy using job numbers or BINs. ### search_dob_violations This tool searches for DOB building violations. You can filter by building number, violation type, or date to find active code enforcement issues. ### search_dobnow_permits This tool searches the DOB NOW online permit pipeline. It retrieves approved permits for plumbing, wiring, and minor work. ### search_housing_violations This tool searches for housing code violations from HCB inspections. It identifies issues like heat, hot water, or lead concerns by building ID. ### search_pluto This tool searches PLUTO parcel and property records. It provides zoning, building class, owner names, and assessed values for specific addresses or BBLs. ### search_vacant_storefronts This tool searches the annual city survey of vacant commercial ground floors. It helps you analyze vacancy trends by borough or street. ## Prompt Examples **Prompt:** ``` Any new building permits in Manhattan this quarter? ``` **Response:** ``` I found several New Building filings in Manhattan for this quarter, including job numbers and filing dates. ``` **Prompt:** ``` Zoning and owner of the lot at 100 Broadway, lower Manhattan ``` **Response:** ``` The lot at 100 Broadway is zoned for specific land use, owned by the listed legal owner, and has an assessed value of [value]. ``` **Prompt:** ``` How many open housing code B-violations citywide? ``` **Response:** ``` There are [number] open housing code B-violations currently recorded in the system. ``` ## Capabilities ### Permit Tracking Your agent can monitor new construction and alteration filings in real time. ### Violation Auditing The AI can check for active building or housing code violations on any property. ### Property Intelligence Your client can pull zoning, ownership, and assessment data from PLUTO records. ### Commercial Vacancy Analysis The AI can query annual surveys to identify vacant storefronts in specific neighborhoods. ### Construction Volume Metrics Your agent can count total permit activity to size up market trends in a borough. ## Use Cases ### Property Due Diligence Check a specific address for active violations and zoning restrictions before a purchase. ### Market Trend Analysis Count new building permits in a specific borough to gauge construction momentum. ### Commercial Site Selection Identify areas with high vacant storefront counts using the annual city survey. ### Compliance Monitoring Track housing code violations like heat or lead issues for specific building IDs. ## Benefits - Eliminates the need for manual API key management or complex data requests. - Consolidates multiple NYC Open Data sets into a single interface for your agent. - Provides direct access to official DOB and PLUTO records through natural language. - Enables rapid property due diligence by combining violations and zoning data. ## How It Works Connecting to this MCP gives your AI client immediate access to NYC's property data stack. 1. Connect your AI client to the MCP via the Vinkius dashboard. 2. Ask your agent a question about NYC buildings, permits, or violations. 3. The agent selects the appropriate tool from the NYC data stack. 4. The MCP executes the query against NYC Open Data. 5. Your agent receives the raw data and presents the answer to you. ## Frequently Asked Questions **Do I need an API key to use this MCP?** No. Vinkius hosts the MCP and manages all connections, so you can use it immediately without an API key. **Which AI clients can I use with this?** You can use this MCP with any compatible client, including Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code. **Can I search for specific building owners?** Yes. You can use the search_pluto tool to find the legal owner of a property using its address or BBL. **Does this include housing code violations?** Yes. The search_housing_violations tool allows you to look up HCB inspections for issues like heat and hot water. **How recent is the permit data?** The data is pulled from NYC Open Data, which includes the latest DOB permit filings and DOB NOW permits. **Do I need an API key?** No. NYC Open Data serves all public datasets anonymously over its SODA API (data.cityofnewyork.us). This MCP defines no credentials and needs nothing configured. **What is a BIN?** BIN (Building Identification Number) is the city's 10-digit id for one physical building, shared across the DOB and housing datasets. PLUTO keys buildings by borough+block+lot instead. **Borough values differ across datasets — how do I know the format?** Formats are dataset-specific: 311 and shootings use UPPERCASE ("QUEENS"), food and sanitation use Title Case ("Queens"), DOT potholes use single-letter codes. Tool descriptions state the expected values, and the errors from a mismatched value are reported verbatim by the platform.