N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2062
Lighting and ventilation in one- and two-family dwellings (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. Required windows. Every living room shall have at least one window open to a street, public place or an open and unobstructed yard, court or other required open space on the same lot as the dwelling. b. Size of windows; substitutes for windows. (1) The total area of all windows in the room shall be at least one-tenth the floor area of such room, or twelve square feet, whichever is greater. (2) Skylights, opening directly to the outer air, transparent or translucent panels or doors, or other natural light transmitting media may be substituted for window openings, subject to the approval of the department, if they provide an equivalent amount of light to that transmitted through the window area required in paragraph one of this subdivision. (3) At least forty-five percent of the required window area, skylight or other openings shall be openable to provide natural ventilation. If a mechanical ventilation system provides forty cubic feet of air per minute, the openable area may be reduced to twenty-five percent. c. Noncomplying rooms. (1) A living room in a one- or two-family dwelling constructed after January first, nineteen hundred thirty-eight which meets the minimum room size requirements of article four of this subchapter but does not comply with subdivision a of this section may not be occupied unless it has a single unbroken opening of not less than sixty square feet into an immediately adjoining room. The adjoining room shall have at least one window opening to the outer air and such window shall be not less than one-tenth of the combined floor area of the room. (2) In a one- or two-family dwelling constructed prior to January first, nineteen hundred thirty-eight, an opening shall be required between a room without a window and an immediately adjoining living room with at least one window. Such opening shall have a minimum size of thirty-two and one-half square feet.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2062, every living room in a one- or two-family dwelling must have at least one window facing a street, yard, court, or other open space, with total window area equal to at least one-tenth of the floor area or twelve square feet, whichever is larger. At least 45% of that required window area must be openable for natural ventilation, though a qualifying mechanical ventilation system can reduce that threshold to 25%. Rooms that lack a direct window may still be occupied under specific conditions—such as having a sufficiently large opening into an adjoining windowed room—with different minimum opening sizes depending on whether the building was constructed before or after January 1, 1938.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of one- and two-family dwellings subject to §§ 27-2001 and 27-2062 generally ensure that each living room has at least one window open to the outer air and that the combined window area meets the one-tenth-of-floor-area or twelve-square-foot minimum. Compliant operators also verify that the required percentage of window area is openable, or that any mechanical ventilation system meets the 40-cubic-feet-per-minute standard before reducing the openable requirement. For older buildings predating 1938 or newer construction where a room lacks a direct window, operators typically confirm that any connecting opening to an adjoining windowed room meets the applicable minimum size thresholds set out in the provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2062, tenants in one- and two-family dwellings have a right to living rooms that meet minimum natural light and ventilation standards, including properly sized windows and adequate openable area. If a living room appears to lack a required window or sufficient ventilation, tenants may consider filing a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which oversees housing maintenance standards. Tenants may also wish to consult a tenant-rights organization to understand how a violation of these lighting and ventilation requirements could be raised 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 October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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