Except as otherwise specifically provided by law, ordinance or regulation, or except as herein otherwise provided, the Code Enforcement Officer under the direction of the Mayor shall administer and enforce all of the provisions of laws, ordinances and regulations applicable to the construction, alteration, repair, removal and demolition of buildings and structures, and the installation and use of materials and equipment therein, and the location, use, occupancy and maintenance thereof.

The Code Enforcement Officer shall receive applications and issue permits for the erection, alteration, removal and demolition of buildings or structures or parts thereof and shall examine the premises for which such applications have been received or such permits have been issued for the purpose of ensuring compliance with laws, ordinances and regulations governing building construction.

The Code Enforcement Officer shall issue all appropriate notices or orders to remove illegal or unsafe conditions, to require the necessary safeguards during construction and to ensure compliance during the entire course of construction with the requirements of such laws, ordinances or regulations. The Code Enforcement Officer shall make all inspections which are necessary or proper for carrying out his or her duties, except that he or she may accept written reports of inspection from Assistant Code Enforcement Officers or other employees of the Building Department or from a generally recognized authoritative service and inspection bureaus, provided that the same are certified by a responsible official thereof.

Whenever the same may be necessary or appropriate to assure compliance with the provisions of applicable laws, ordinances or regulations covering building construction, the Code Enforcement Officer may require the performance of tests in the field by experienced, professional persons or by accredited and authoritative testing laboratories or service bureaus or agencies, with expense to be paid by the applicant.

It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to construct, alter, repair, move, remove, demolish, equip, use, occupy or maintain any building or structure or portion thereof in violation of any provision of this article or to fail in any manner to comply with a notice, directive or order of the Code Enforcement Officer, or to construct, alter or use and occupy any building or structure or part thereof in a manner not permitted by an approved building permit or certificate of occupancy.

Any person who shall fail to comply with a written order of the Building Department within the time fixed for compliance therewith, and any owner, builder, architect, tenant, contractor, subcontractor, construction superintendent or their agents, or any other person taking part or assisting in the construction or use of any building who shall knowingly violate any of the applicable provisions of this article, or any lawful order, notice, directive, permit or certificate of the Building Department made thereunder shall be punishable as follows:

Except as provided otherwise by law, such violation shall not be a crime, and the penalty or punishment imposed therefor shall not be deemed for any purpose a penal or criminal penalty or punishment and shall not impose any disability upon or affect or impair the credibility as a witness, or otherwise, of any person convicted thereof.

This section shall not apply to violations of the provisions of the New York State Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code punishable under § 385 of the Executive Law of the State of New York; nor to violations of the provisions of the Multiple Residence Law punishable under § 304 of the Multiple Residence Law of the State of New York.