Hempstead Village, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 52 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 52-2

A. In any criminal or civil proceeding commenced by the Village concerning an alleged illegal use or occupancy of a building for residential purposes, the following presumptions shall apply: (1) That any dwelling which maintains more than one gas meter or more than one electric meter or more than one water meter is being used as the residence of two or more families. (2) That any dwelling which maintains more than two gas meters or more than two electric meters or more than two water meters is being used as the residence of three or more families. (3) That a single-family dwelling which maintains any entrance(s) thereto, which entrance(s) has not been set forth on any plans approved by and on file with the Building Department, is being used as the residence of two or more families. (4) That a two-family dwelling which maintains any third or additional entrance thereto, which entrance(s) has not been set forth on any plans approved by and on file with the Building Department, is being used as the residence of three or more families. (5) That a dwelling which has been advertised in any newspaper, magazine or local advertising publication as being available for sale or rent, which advertisement expressly or implicitly provides that such dwelling contains rooms for rent, more than one separate dwelling living unit, or may be occupied by more than one separate family, is being used as a dwelling containing the number of rooms for rent, dwelling units or families stated or implied in such advertisement. (6) That if there exist two or more doorbells, mailboxes, telephone lines, cable TV lines or satellite TV antennas, two or more families are residing in the dwelling. (7) That if there are two or more motor vehicles parked on the dwelling lot registered to persons with two or more different surnames, two or more families are residing in the dwelling. (8) The presumption of nonpermitted occupancy of a single dwelling unit shall also be established where probative evidence establishes: (a) That there exist permanent partitions or locking internal doors which may serve to bar access between segregated portions of the dwelling, including but not limited to bedrooms. or the inability of any occupant or person in possession thereof to have unimpeded and/or lawful access to all parts of the dwelling unit. (b) That there exist two or more kitchens, each containing one or more of the following: a range, oven, hot plate, microwave, or other similar device customarily used for cooking or preparation of foods. B. The presumption raised by proof of the existence of any such conditions as set forth in Subsection A herein may only be rebutted by conclusive evidence that such conditions do not, in fact, exist or that such conditions, in fact, comply with this Code. C. A person charged with a violation of this chapter may demand an inspection by the Building Department of the subject premises to rebut such presumption. Such demand shall be in writing addressed to the Building Department. The Building Inspector shall prepare a report of the finding of the inspection together with photographs, if appropriate.