Schenectady, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 167 § 167-48
Infestation and screening
Operative Text
A. Grounds, buildings and structures shall be maintained free of insect, vermin and rodent harborage and infestation. Methods used for exterminating insects, vermin and rodents shall conform to safe health practices. B. Where the potential for rodent or vermin infestation exists, windows and other openings in basements and cellars shall be appropriately screened with wire mesh or other suitable materials. C. From May 1 to October 1, entrances to residential buildings and structures shall be provided with self-closing doors, devices or screens, and windows and other openings used for ventilation shall be appropriately screened, except that screens shall not be required in the upper stories of multiple dwellings which are free of mosquitoes, flies and other flying insects.
Schenectady, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 167 § 167-48 establishes that all grounds, buildings, and structures must be kept free of insects, vermin, and rodents, and that any extermination methods used must follow safe health practices. Basement and cellar openings must be screened with wire mesh or similar material wherever rodent or vermin infestation is a risk. Between May 1 and October 1, residential building entrances must have self-closing doors or screens, and ventilation openings must be screened, though upper floors of multi-unit dwellings that are demonstrably free of flying insects are exempt from the window-screen requirement.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 167-48, compliant property operators generally maintain a routine pest-prevention program, ensure that basement and cellar windows and openings are fitted with wire mesh or equivalent screening wherever infestation risk exists, and install self-closing doors or screens at all residential entrances before May 1 each year. Ventilation openings throughout the building are typically screened for the warm-weather season running through October 1, with the upper-story exemption applied only where flying insects are genuinely absent. Extermination methods used on the property are expected to conform to recognized safe health practices rather than ad hoc approaches.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 167-48 gives tenants a basis to expect that their landlord will keep the property free of insect, vermin, and rodent infestation and will maintain proper screening on basement openings and building entrances during the May 1–October 1 period. If a rental unit or common area has an active infestation or lacks required screens, tenants may document the conditions and report them to Schenectady's code enforcement office, which oversees compliance with ch. 167. Tenant-rights organizations in the Schenectady area can help residents understand what options are generally available, such as raising a code violation as a defense in certain housing proceedings.
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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