Operative Text
No owner, operator, or occupant of any rental dwelling or rental dwelling unit shall cause any service, facility, equipment, or utility which is required under this article or state law to be removed from or shut off from or discontinued for any occupied rental dwelling or rental dwelling unit or its portion, except for such temporary interruptions as may be necessary while actual repairs or alterations are in process, or during emergencies.
Excelsior Code of Ordinances ch. 8, art. IV § 8-139 establishes that any service, facility, equipment, or utility that is legally required under local or state law must remain continuously available to tenants in occupied rental dwellings. Removing, shutting off, or discontinuing such services is prohibited, with narrow exceptions for temporary interruptions that occur during active repairs, alterations, or genuine emergencies. The rule applies to owners, operators, and occupants alike, meaning no party in the chain of control over a rental property may cause such a disruption.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 8-139, compliant rental property owners and operators maintain all legally required services, facilities, equipment, and utilities without interruption for the duration of a tenancy. When repairs or alterations necessitate a temporary service outage, operators generally document the work in progress and restore service as promptly as the scope of the work allows. Proactively communicating with tenants about planned, short-term interruptions tied to active repair work reflects the kind of operational practice consistent with this provision's narrow exception.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 8-139 of the Excelsior Code of Ordinances gives tenants a clear protection: required services and utilities in an occupied rental unit cannot lawfully be removed or shut off by an owner, operator, or occupant except during genuine, temporary repair or emergency situations. If a service is cut off outside those narrow circumstances, that discontinuance may constitute a violation of this provision, which tenants can raise as a defense in relevant legal proceedings or report to the appropriate local code-enforcement authority. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Excelsior's housing code can help residents understand the options available when a service disruption appears to fall outside the permitted exceptions.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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