Endicott, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 160 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 160-1

Definitions; word usage

In Force
Verified 11/10/2026 · Next check 12/10/2026
EndicottHabitability & Repair

Operative Text

Endicott, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 160 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 160-1
A. Whenever the words "dwelling," "dwelling unit," "rooming house," "rooming unit" or "premises" are used in this chapter, they shall be construed as though they were followed by the words "or any part thereof." B. The following definitions shall apply in the interpretation and enforcement of this chapter: BASEMENT A portion of a building located partly underground, but having less than half its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining ground. CELLAR A portion of a building located partly or wholly underground and having half or more than half of its clear floor-to-ceiling height below the average grade of the adjoining ground. DWELLING Any building which is wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants, provided that temporary housing as hereinafter defined shall not be regarded as dwelling. DWELLING UNIT Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling and forming a single habitable unit, with facilities which are used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking and eating. ENFORCEMENT OFFICER The Building Inspector of the Village or such other person or persons as may be designated by the Mayor and/or the Board of Trustees. EXTERMINATION The control and elimination of insects, rodents or other pests by eliminating their harborage places, by removing or making inaccessible materials that may serve as their food, by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping or by any other recognized and legal pest elimination methods approved by the enforcement officer. GARBAGE The animal or vegetable waste resulting from handling, preparation, cooking and consumption of food. HABITABLE ROOM A room or enclosed floor space used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes, excluding bathrooms, water closet compartments, laundries, pantries, foyers or communicating corridors, closets and storage spaces. HEARING OFFICER The Mayor or such person as may be designated by him. INFESTATION The presence within or around a dwelling of any insects, rodents or other pests. MULTIPLE DWELLING Any dwelling containing more than two dwelling units. OCCUPANT Any person over one year of age, living, sleeping, cooking or eating in, or having actual possession of a dwelling unit or rooming unit. OPERATOR Any person who has charge, care or control of a building, or part thereof, in which dwelling units or rooming units are let. ORDINARY MINIMUM WINTER CONDITIONS The temperature 15° F. above the lowest recorded temperature for the previous ten-year period. OWNER Any person who, alone or jointly or severally with others: (1) Shall have legal title to any dwelling or dwelling unit, with or without accompanying actual possession thereof; or (2) Shall have charge, care or control of any dwelling or dwelling unit as owner or agent of the owner or as executor, executrix, administrator, administratrix, trustee or guardian of the estate of the owner. Any such person thus representing the actual owner shall be bound to comply with the provisions of this chapter and rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto to the same extent as if he were the owner. PLUMBING All of the following supplied facilities and equipment: gas pipes, gas-burning equipment, water pipes, garbage disposal units, waste pipes, water closets, sinks, installed dishwashers, lavatories, bathtubs, shower baths, installed clothes-washing machines, catch basins, drains, vents and any other similar supplied fixtures, together with all connections to water, sewer or gas lines. ROOMING HOUSE Any dwelling, or that part of any dwelling, containing one or more rooming units, in which space is let by the owner or operator to three or more persons who are not the husband or wife, son or daughter, mother or father or sister or brother of the owner or operator. ROOMING UNIT Any room or group of rooms forming a single habitable unit used or intended to be used for living and sleeping, but not for cooking or eating purposes. RUBBISH Combustible or noncombustible waste materials, except garbage, including the residue from the burning of wood, coal, coke and other combustible material, paper, rag, cartons, boxes, wood, excelsior, rubber, leather, tree branches, yard trimmings, tin cans, metals, mineral matter, glass crockery and dust. STRUCTURE A combination of materials, other than a building, to form a construction that is safe and stable and includes, among other things, stadiums, gospel and circus tents, reviewing stands, platforms, stagings, observation towers, radio towers, sheds, storage bins, walls, fences and display signs. The term "structure" shall be construed as if followed by the words "or part thereof." SUPPLIED Paid for, furnished or provided by or under the control of the owner or operator. TEMPORARY HOUSING Any tent, trailer or other structure used for human shelter which is designed to be transportable and which is not attached to the ground, to another structure or to any utilities system on the same premises for more than 30 consecutive days. UNOCCUPIED HAZARD Any building or part thereof situated within one or more residential zoning districts or within 1,000 feet of any residential zoning district or public building, which remains unoccupied for a period of more than two years, with either doors, windows or other openings broken, removed, boarded or sealed up, or any building under construction upon which little or no construction work has been performed for a period of two years or more.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Section 160-1 of Endicott's Code of Ordinances establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout Chapter 160, the village's housing maintenance and occupancy code. Each defined term — such as "dwelling," "dwelling unit," "operator," "owner," and "occupant" — carries a precise legal meaning that governs how the rest of the chapter is interpreted and enforced. Notably, the definitions extend key terms like "dwelling" and "premises" to cover any part of those structures, and they distinguish between concepts such as basement and cellar, or rooming unit and dwelling unit, based on specific physical and functional criteria. These definitions also establish who qualifies as an "owner" or "operator" for purposes of legal responsibility under the chapter.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 9, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers in Endicott should be familiar with the definitions set out in § 160-1, because terms like "owner" and "operator" are defined broadly enough to encompass agents, executors, and others acting on behalf of a titleholder — meaning responsibility for code compliance can attach to parties beyond the person holding legal title. A compliant operator generally ensures that the physical characteristics of spaces (for example, whether a below-grade area qualifies as a "basement" or a "cellar") are accurately understood, since those distinctions affect what standards apply. Operators of rooming houses, as defined in § 160-1, should also note that the definition turns on the number of unrelated persons let space, which determines which regulatory requirements govern the property.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

For tenants in Endicott, the definitions in § 160-1 are important because they determine whether a space qualifies as a "habitable room," a "dwelling unit," or a "rooming unit" — classifications that affect what protections and standards apply to a rental. The broad definition of "occupant" and the extension of terms like "dwelling" to cover any part of a structure mean that tenants in partial-building arrangements or unconventional spaces may still fall within the chapter's protections. Tenants who believe their living space is being misclassified or that their landlord or operator (as defined in § 160-1) is not meeting applicable standards can raise these definitional questions when filing a complaint with the village's Enforcement Officer or when consulting a tenant-rights organization.

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 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

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References Out

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References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Endicott Code § 160-8
Endicott Code § 160-13
Endicott Code § 160-8
Endicott Code § 160-31
Endicott Code § 160-8

Related Rules

§ 244.260
Compliance required
§ 14.567
ADOPTED BY REFERENCE
§ 244.340
Sewer and water connections

Source Information

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