Buildings occupied in whole or in part shall
comply with the requirements set forth in this article concerning
occupancy, size, light and ventilation in order to provide a safe
and healthful environment.
A.
Every dwelling unit shall contain a minimum gross
floor area of 150 square feet for the first person, 150 square feet
for the second person and 100 square feet for each occupant thereafter.
B.
In every dwelling unit and in every rooming unit,
every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain
at least 70 square feet of floor area and every room occupied for
sleeping purposes by more than one occupant shall contain at least
50 square feet of floor area for each occupant 12 years of age and
over and at least 35 square feet of floor area for each occupant under
12 years of age.
C.
Floor area shall be calculated on the basis of habitable
room area. However, closet area and hall area within the dwelling
unit, where provided, may count for not more than 10% of the required
habitable floor area. At least 1/2 of the floor area of every habitable
room shall have a ceiling height of at least seven feet; and the floor
area of any part of any room where the ceiling height is less than
4 1/2 feet shall not be considered as part of the floor area
in computing the total floor area of the room to determine maximum
permissible occupancy.
D.
In buildings occupied as clubs, dormitories, sorority
or fraternity houses and providing sleeping accommodations for more
than five persons, the maximum number of occupants so accommodated
in any habitable room shall be limited to the number determined on
the basis of the floor area, in square feet, of any 50 square feet
per occupant.
E.
In lodging units and rooming units the maximum number
of occupants shall be limited to the number determined on the same
basis as for dwelling units.
A.
It shall be prohibited to use for sleeping purposes
any kitchen, nonhabitable space or public space.
B.
It shall be prohibited, in lodging houses and rooming
houses, to use for dining purposes any communal kitchen containing
less than 100 square feet of floor area or any nonhabitable space
or public space other than dining space.
C.
It shall be prohibited to prepare meals in lodging
units and rooming units.
A.
Habitable space shall have a minimum ceiling height
of seven feet over 50% of the floor area; and the floor area where
the ceiling height is less than 4 1/2 feet shall not be considered
in computing floor area.
B.
Every alcove less than 60 square feet in area, except
a cooling space or foyer, shall be deemed to be part of a habitable
room. The area of the opening in the dividing partition between the
alcove and the room shall be at least 80% of the wall area of such
partition, measured on the alcove side, but not less than 40 square
feet. The depth of such alcove shall not exceed half its width. The
floor area of the alcove shall be added to the floor area of the room
in determining light and ventilation requirements for the room. An
alcove with an area of 60 square feet or more, but less than the required
area of a habitable room, shall be separately lighted and ventilated
as required for habitable space.
A.
Rooms providing facilities for recreation and which
may also have facilities for incidental food preparation may be located
in a cellar or a basement.
B.
No basement shall be used as a habitable room or dwelling
unit unless:
(1)
The floors and walls are substantially watertight.
(2)
Windows are provided on at least one wall.
(3)
The dimension from the wall having the major window
area to the opposite wall does not exceed four times the clear height
of the basement. If this dimension is exceeded, the portion of the
basement beyond the limiting dimension shall not be used as habitable
space.
C.
Except in multiple dwellings, cellars may be used
as habitable space providing the cellar complies with all the following
requirements:
(1)
Combustion air shall not be taken from habitable space
directly or indirectly.
(2)
All habitable space in cellars shall be ventilated
by mechanical means. The ventilating system shall replace the air
in the habitable spaces at the rate of at least five cubic feet per
minute per human occupant. The air supply of said ventilation system
shall be from the exterior or may be drawn from the floor above provided
that the floor above is occupied by the same tenancy as the cellar.
(3)
Walls of cellars shall be constructed to prevent condensation
forming thereon when the relative humidity in the habitable area is
35%.
(4)
All fuel-burning equipment shall be separated from
habitable space by a partition having a minimum fire rating of 3/4
of an hour.
A.
Habitable space shall be provided with natural light
through one or more windows, skylights, transparent or translucent
panels, or any combinations thereof, that face directly on legal open
spaces at least six inches above the adjoining finished grade or are
above a roof. The amount of light required for each room shall be
equivalent to that transmitted through clear glass equal in area to
10% of the floor area of the habitable space.
B.
Habitable space shall be provided with electric light.
C.
Habitable space shall be provided with natural ventilation
through openable parts of windows or other openings in exterior walls
that face legal open spaces above the adjoining finished grade or
above a roof or through openable parts of skylights, providing total
clear ventilation area equal to not less than 5% of the total floor
area of each habitable space.
D.
Habitable space also may be provided with mechanical
ventilation in addition to natural ventilation.
A.
Dwelling units shall be separated from each other
and from other spaces outside the dwelling unit.
B.
Sleeping rooms within dwelling units shall be separated
from each other and from other spaces outside the sleeping rooms to
provide privacy.
C.
Lodging units and boarding units shall be separated
from each other and from other spaces outside the lodging units.
D.
A communal kitchen or dining room in a lodging house
shall be accessible to the occupants sharing such kitchen or dining
room without going through a dwelling unit or lodging unit of another
occupant.
Public space shall have a minimum height of
7 1/2 feet, measured from finished floor to finished ceiling.
A.
Public space shall be provided with electric light.
B.
In public stairs, stairways and passageways, electric
lighting shall be available at all times so as to afford safe passage
for occupants and users. Such lighting shall conform to the following:
(1)
A sufficient number of fixtures shall be provided
so that the distance between fixtures is not more than 30 feet and
so that no wall is more than 15 feet distant from a fixture.
(2)
Incandescent lighting shall be based on not less than
1/4 watt per square foot of floor area, except that each fixture shall
have a lamp or lamps with a total of not less than 25 watts.
(3)
Fluorescent lighting shall be based on not less than
1/10 watt per square foot of floor area, except that each fixture
shall have a lamp or lamps of a total of not less than 15 watts.
(4)
Where under these formulas the calculated wattage
does not correspond to that of a standard lamp, the next larger size
shall be used.
C.
Public spaces shall be provided with either natural
ventilation, conforming to the requirements for habitable space or
with mechanical ventilation.
Nonhabitable space, except crawl spaces and
attics, in multiple dwellings shall have a minimum height of seven
feet measured from floor to ceiling.
A.
Toilet rooms and bathrooms shall have provisions for
privacy.
B.
Toilet rooms and bathrooms for dwelling units in multiple
dwellings shall be located within the dwelling units and shall be
accessible from any sleeping room without passing through any other
sleeping room.
C.
Unless located within dwelling units or directly connected
with sleeping rooms, toilet rooms and bathrooms in multiple dwellings
shall be provided in each story containing habitable space and shall
be accessible thereto.
D.
Toilet rooms for employees in multiple dwellings shall
be in separate rooms for each sex where there are five or more employees,
shall be readily accessible to such employees and shall not open directly
into any public kitchen or other public space used for the cooking
or preparation of food.
E.
In one- and two-family dwellings, bathrooms, toilet
rooms shall be provided with floors of moisture-resistant material.
F.
In multiple dwellings, floors of bathrooms, toilet
rooms and similar spaces shall be waterproof; such waterproofing shall
extend six inches or more above floors except at doors, so that floors
can be flushed or washed without leaking. Walls shall be constructed
or covered with a moisture-resistant material.
G.
All shower enclosures shall have waterproof floors
and water-resistant walls.
A.
Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet room shall be provided
with electric light appropriate for the use of such rooms.
B.
Laundry rooms, furnace rooms and similar nonhabitable
space shall be provided with electric light appropriate for the intended
use of such rooms.
C.
Stairs shall be provided with electric light to allow
safe ascent or descent.
D.
Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be
provided with ventilation in accordance with either of the following:
(1)
Natural ventilation as required for habitable space,
except that such openable areas shall be not less than 1 1/2
square feet for bathrooms or toilet rooms and not less than three
square feet for kitchenettes; or
(2)
Mechanical ventilation exhausting not less than 20
cubic feet per minute for kitchenettes.
E.
Spaces in multiple dwellings which contain central
heat-producing, air-conditioning and other equipment shall be ventilated
to the outer air and air from these spaces shall not be circulated
to other parts of the building.
F.
Ventilation shall be provided in unheated attics,
spaces below flat roofs and in crawl spaces. Location and net area
of ventilation openings shall be such as to minimize deterioration
of structural members from condensation or other causes, in conformity
with generally accepted standards.
A.
Safe, continuous and unobstructed exits provided from
the interior of the building to the exterior at street or grade level.
B.
Exits shall be arranged, constructed and proportioned
so that occupants may escape safely from the building in case of an
emergency.
C.
In one- and two-family dwellings, in addition to a
primary exit from the building, there shall be provided a secondary
exit or, in lieu thereof, one or more openings for emergency use.
Openings for emergency uses shall be as defined in the New York State
Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code applicable to one- and two-family
dwellings.
D.
In multiple dwellings, approved exits shall be provided.
