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Parking your bike in New York City is about to have an expiration date, if your neighbors report it.
New terms from the NYC Department of Transportation require that all bikes parked on a free public rack can't linger for more than seven days. That is, if someone reports your bike as abandoned (that is left in the same spot for over a week), NYC DOT will tag it.
An abandoned bike is considered "a usable bike that is locked to a public bike rack for more than seven consecutive days" according to the city, and anyone can report an abandoned bike and request removal to free up space on a public rack.
If a tag remains on a bike for longer than seven days, NYPD, NYC DOT, or designated representatives can remove and confiscate that bike. If there's a tag on your bike, can you remove the tag and keep your bike in place? Absolutely. These efforts are complaint-driven to free up space, so hopefully neighbors will understand that you're just on a biking sabbatical if your bike lingers for a bit. The policy is also a good reminder to check in on your bike weekly.
Once a bike is removed, the local NYPD precinct near where the bike was parked will store the bike for 30 days. If the bike isn't claimed by then, it will be moved to the NYPD Property Clerk. From there, you can request return or property, or you may never see your bike again.
Missing bike? You'll have to retrieve it from the NYPD. If you're going away for longer than a week, an interactive map can help you find public parking shelters for safer longterm storage.