Johnson City, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 166 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 166-18
Minimum requirements established
Operative Text
No person shall occupy or let to another for occupancy any dwelling or dwelling unit, for the purpose of living herein, which does not comply with the following requirements: A. Minimum floor space. Every dwelling unit shall contain at least 150 square feet of floor space for the first occupant thereof and at least 100 additional square feet of floor space for every additional occupant thereof. The floor space shall be calculated on the basis of total habitable room area. B. Floor space requirements in sleeping rooms. In every dwelling unit of two or more rooms, every room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant shall contain at least 70 square feet of floor space and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one occupant shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor space for each occupant thereof, except that where the occupants of such room are all less than 15 years of age, a room having at least 70 square feet of floor space may be occupied by additional persons, provided that the floor space per occupant does not become less than 35 square feet. C. Location of sleeping rooms. No dwelling or dwelling unit containing two or more sleeping rooms shall have such room arrangements that access to a bathroom or water closet compartment intended for use by occupants of more than one sleeping room can be had only by going through another sleeping room; nor shall room arrangements be such that access to a sleeping room can be had only by going through another sleeping room or a bathroom or water closet compartment, except that where such a dwelling is occupied only by a husband or wife or a husband or wife and child or children under the age of 15, this subsection shall not apply. D. Ceiling height. At least 1/2 of the floor area of every habitable room shall have a ceiling height of at least seven feet; and the floor area of that part of any room where the ceiling height is less than five feet shall not be considered as part of the floor area in computing the total floor area of the room for the purpose of determining the maximum permissible occupancy thereof. E. Use of basement or cellar space for habitable room. No basement or cellar space shall be used as a habitable room unless: (1) The floor and walls are impervious to leakage of underground and surface water and are insulated against dampness. (2) The total of window area in each room is equal to at least the minimum window area sizes as required in § 166-17A . (3) Such required minimum window area is located entirely above the grade of the ground adjoining such window area. (4) The total of openable window area in each room is equal to at least the minimum as required under § 166-17B , except where there is supplied some other device affording adequate ventilation and approved by the enforcement officer. F. Calculation. For the purpose of this chapter, each person 15 years of age and older shall be counted as one person, children more than one year old but less than 15 years old shall be deemed to be 1/2 person and infants up to one year shall not be counted. The floor area shall be based upon the area of habitable rooms contained within the living unit, exclusive of utility and storage rooms, halls, closets, porches and any connecting spaces. Any area in a habitable room which has a ceiling height of less than five feet shall not be counted or included in the computation of space.
Section 166-18 of the Johnson City, N.Y., Code of Ordinances establishes minimum space and layout standards that every occupied dwelling or dwelling unit must meet. These standards cover overall floor space per occupant, minimum square footage for sleeping rooms, how rooms must be arranged relative to bathrooms and other sleeping areas, required ceiling heights, and the conditions under which basement or cellar space may be used as a habitable room. A specific formula for counting occupants by age is also built into the provision, so that children under 15 and infants are weighted differently than adults when calculating whether a unit meets its space requirements.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of residential rental properties in Johnson City should ensure that every unit offered for occupancy satisfies the floor-space minimums set out in § 166-18 before a tenancy begins and throughout its duration. A compliant operator tracks the number and ages of occupants, applies the fractional-person counting rules for children and infants, and verifies that sleeping-room sizes, room-access arrangements, ceiling heights, and any basement habitable spaces all meet the specific thresholds stated in the ordinance. Keeping documentation of unit dimensions and occupancy records helps demonstrate ongoing compliance if the enforcement officer conducts an inspection.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 166-18 of the Johnson City Code, tenants have a right to occupy a dwelling that meets minimum space, layout, and habitability standards, including adequate floor area per occupant, properly sized sleeping rooms, accessible room arrangements, and lawful use of any basement space. If a unit appears to fall short of these requirements—for example, if sleeping rooms are undersized or a basement space lacks proper waterproofing and window area—tenants may consider documenting the conditions and raising the violation with the local code enforcement officer. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Johnson City housing code can help residents understand what options are generally available, including filing a complaint or raising a code violation as a defense in a housing proceeding.
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
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation