Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 12 § 12-124
Communal cooking and dining facilities
Operative Text
(a) Every commercial kitchen and dining room located in a rooming house shall have adequate floor space and facilities and shall be so located as to be accessible to the occupant of each rooming unit sharing the use of such facilities, without going through a dwelling unit or rooming unit of another occupant. The preparation and eating of meals in rooming units is prohibited. Communal kitchens and dining rooms shall comply with the applicable provisions of Sections 12-132 through 12-137 and 12-153 through 12-160 . (b) Communal kitchens and dining rooms shall comply with the following requirements: (1) Communal kitchens. a. Communal kitchens . Minimum gross floor area: 60 square feet; minimum width: five feet, where cooking is permitted. b. Communal kitchens used for combined cooking and eating purposes . Minimum gross floor area: 100 square feet; minimum width: seven feet. Dining space and eating facilities shall comply with requirements for communal dining rooms. c. Required facilities: at least one kitchen sink; at least one kitchen gas or electric stove containing at least two top burners and an oven; at least one electric, gas or other mechanical or suitably constructed ice refrigerator with adequate food storage capacity; at least 12 lineal feet of shelf storage space. (2) Communal dining rooms. a. Communal dining rooms: Minimum gross floor area: 70 square feet. b. Required facilities: at least one dining chair and two lineal feet of dining space for each occupant permitted in dining room at any particular time.
Section 12-124 of the Poughkeepsie Code of Ordinances governs shared cooking and eating spaces in rooming houses. It prohibits the preparation or consumption of meals inside individual rooming units, requiring instead that communal kitchens and dining rooms be provided and made accessible to all occupants without passing through another occupant's private space. The provision sets specific minimum size requirements and mandatory equipment for both communal kitchens and dining rooms, including floor area, width, appliances, refrigeration, shelf storage, and dining seating.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rooming houses subject to § 12-124 are generally expected to maintain communal kitchens and dining rooms that meet the provision's explicit size and equipment thresholds — for example, a standalone communal kitchen must have at least 60 square feet of gross floor area and five feet of width, while a combined cooking-and-eating space requires at least 100 square feet and seven feet of width. Compliant operators also ensure that required appliances are present and functional, including a sink, a stove with at least two burners and an oven, a refrigerator, and at least 12 lineal feet of shelf storage. Access pathways to these communal areas must be arranged so that no occupant needs to pass through another occupant's rooming unit to reach them, and individual rooming units must not be used for meal preparation or eating.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Rooming house occupants have a right under § 12-124 to access adequately sized and properly equipped communal kitchen and dining facilities without having to pass through another resident's private space. If a rooming house lacks the required appliances, sufficient floor space, or accessible pathways described in this provision, that may constitute a code violation. Tenants who believe these standards are not being met can document the conditions, raise the issue with the City of Poughkeepsie's code enforcement office, or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options.
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 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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