Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 15.12 § 15.12.170
Ventilation
Operative Text
The owner shall provide for each habitable room, bathroom and toilet compartment, ventilation to the outdoors consisting of: A. Windows, skylights, doors or transoms in the exterior walls of roofs that can be easily opened to a minimum of four percent of the floor area of that habitable room, bathroom or toilet compartment; provided, that a skylight which, if open, exposes the interior of the dwelling to direct rainfall shall not qualify; or B. Mechanical ventilation capable of producing: 1. For each kitchen, 15 air changes per hour, 2. For each bathroom or toilet compartment, 12 air changes per hour, and 3. For each habitable room other than a kitchen, ten air changes per hour (See section 15.12.200 ).
Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 15.12 § 15.12.170 establishes that every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet compartment in a dwelling must have a connection to outdoor air, achieved through either openable windows, skylights, doors, or transoms that meet a minimum size threshold relative to the room's floor area, or through a mechanical ventilation system meeting specified air-change rates. Skylights that would allow direct rainfall into the dwelling do not count toward the natural ventilation requirement. The rule sets different mechanical ventilation benchmarks depending on the room type, with kitchens requiring the highest rate of air exchange.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 15.12 § 15.12.170, compliant property operators generally ensure that every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet compartment is equipped with either openable natural ventilation covering at least four percent of the room's floor area or a mechanical system delivering the required air changes per hour for that room type. Operators typically verify that any skylights counted toward natural ventilation do not expose the interior to direct rainfall, as such skylights are explicitly excluded. Routine inspections of mechanical ventilation equipment help confirm that kitchens, bathrooms, and other habitable rooms continue to meet their respective air-change requirements.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Lawrence Code of Ordinances ch. 15.12 § 15.12.170 gives tenants the right to live in dwelling units where every habitable room, bathroom, and toilet compartment has adequate outdoor ventilation, whether through properly sized openable windows or doors, or through a functioning mechanical system. If windows are painted shut, broken, or mechanical ventilation is absent or inadequate, this provision may be relevant to a housing code complaint filed with Lawrence's local code enforcement or housing authority. Tenants who believe this standard is not being met may also consider reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for general information about available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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