N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2079
Single room occupancy (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
Every building containing rooming units, and each individual apartment used for single room occupancy, shall contain at least one water closet, washbasin and bath or shower for each six persons lawfully occupying rooming units therein, and for any remainder of less than six persons. At least one water closet shall be located on any floor containing a rooming unit. If there are not more than two rooms on the first story above the basement in a rooming house, no water closet is required on such floor but the occupants of the room shall be counted in determining the required number of facilities.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 et seq. § 27-2079, buildings with rooming units and apartments used for single room occupancy must provide at least one toilet, washbasin, and bath or shower for every six occupants (or fraction thereof). At least one toilet must be present on any floor that contains a rooming unit, with a limited exception for rooming houses where the first story above the basement has no more than two rooms. Even when that floor exception applies, those occupants still count toward the overall facility ratio required for the building.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rooming houses and single room occupancy buildings subject to N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 et seq. § 27-2079 generally maintain a running count of lawful occupants to ensure the required ratio of toilets, washbasins, and baths or showers is met as occupancy changes. Compliant operators also verify that at least one toilet is accessible on each floor containing a rooming unit, and they account for all occupants—including those on floors that qualify for the two-room basement-story exception—when calculating total facility requirements. Routine inspections and accurate occupancy records help demonstrate ongoing compliance with these standards.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in rooming units or single room occupancy apartments have a right under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 et seq. § 27-2079 to adequate sanitary facilities proportional to the number of people lawfully occupying the building. If a building appears to lack the required number of toilets, washbasins, or bathing facilities, tenants may file a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which enforces housing maintenance standards. Tenant-rights organizations can also help residents understand how this provision applies to their building and what documentation may be useful when raising a violation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 30, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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