Lyons, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 236 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 236-16
Certificates of occupancy
Operative Text
No residential or mixed residential-commercial building or other structure, nor any story, tenant space, dwelling unit, rooming unit or other portion of any such facility which has been vacant for a period exceeding one year shall be used or occupied until a certificate of occupancy has been issued. This section shall not apply to one-family dwellings, except those which have been vacant for a period exceeding three years.
Under Lyons, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 236 § 236-16, residential and mixed-use buildings—or any portion of them, such as individual dwelling units or rooming units—that have sat vacant for more than one year cannot be reoccupied until a certificate of occupancy is obtained. Single-family homes are generally exempt from this requirement, unless they have been vacant for more than three years, at which point the same certificate-of-occupancy requirement applies. The rule is designed to ensure that long-vacant spaces meet applicable standards before people move back in.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under ch. 236 § 236-16 generally obtain a valid certificate of occupancy before allowing any tenant or occupant to move into a residential or mixed-use space that has been vacant for more than one year. Compliant operators track vacancy durations for each unit or structure and initiate the certificate-of-occupancy process well in advance of a planned re-tenanting. Owners of single-family homes should note that the exemption disappears once a property has been vacant for more than three years, triggering the same requirement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under ch. 236 § 236-16, tenants have an interest in knowing whether a unit or building that was vacant for more than one year holds a valid certificate of occupancy before they move in. If a landlord has placed someone in a long-vacant space without the required certificate, that fact may be relevant to housing complaints filed with local code-enforcement or building-department authorities in Lyons, N.Y. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand what documentation they are entitled to request and what local remedies may be available.
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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