Horseheads, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 188 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 188-17
Prohibited actions
Operative Text
Violations of the following shall be deemed violations of this chapter and an offense within the meaning of New York State Penal Law : A. No owner of a rental building or structure shall lease, let, rent or permit the occupancy and use of same as a rental building or structure without first having obtained a rental permit as provided herein. B. No owner shall enter into a rental agreement with or cause a dwelling unit to be inhabited by more than four persons unless such persons are a family as defined in this chapter. C. No owner shall cause, permit, suffer or allow to exist any condition on or in a rental building or structure, or exterior property, which is a violation of this chapter, the Horseheads Village Code, or the laws of the State of New York, including, but not limited to, the New York State Building Code, the New York State Property Maintenance Code, and the New York State Multiple Residence Law , the New York State Multiple Dwelling Law and their successors, after written notice has been given to the owner or permit holder of such deficiency.
Section 188-17 of Horseheads, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 188 establishes three core prohibitions for rental property owners. First, no rental building may be occupied without a valid rental permit obtained in advance. Second, a dwelling unit may not be rented to or occupied by more than four unrelated persons. Third, once an owner receives written notice of a code deficiency—whether under local, village, or state law—allowing that condition to persist constitutes a violation. Violations of these rules are treated as offenses under New York State Penal Law, not merely civil infractions.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rental properties in Horseheads should be aware that § 188-17 requires a rental permit to be in place before any unit is leased or occupied. Compliant operators also ensure that no dwelling unit is rented to more than four persons unless those occupants qualify as a 'family' as defined in ch. 188. Upon receiving written notice of any code deficiency—local, village, or state—operators generally act promptly to remediate the condition, since continued non-compliance after notice is itself a violation carrying potential Penal Law consequences.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 188-17 of Horseheads, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 188, tenants have an interest in knowing whether their landlord holds a valid rental permit, since operating without one is a prohibited act. Tenants who observe uncorrected code violations—particularly after a landlord has received written notice—may have grounds to raise those violations with local code enforcement or village authorities. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with New York State housing law can help residents understand how these prohibitions interact with state-level protections under the New York State Property Maintenance Code and related statutes.
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.
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