Syracuse, N.Y., Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27 § 27-22
Maximum occupancy
Operative Text
(a) Every dwelling unit shall contain a minimum gross floor area of one hundred seventy-five (175) square feet for the first person, one hundred twenty-five (125) square feet for the second person and one hundred (100) square feet for each occupant thereafter. (b) In lodging units and rooming units the maximum number of occupants shall be limited to the number determined on the same basis as for dwelling units. (c) In buildings occupied as clubs, dormitories, sorority or fraternity houses and providing sleeping accommodations for more than five (5) persons, the maximum number of occupants so accommodated in any habitable room shall be limited to the number determined on the basis of the floor area, in square feet, of the room divided by eighty (80) square feet per occupant.
Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 3 § 27-22 establishes minimum floor-area requirements that determine how many people may lawfully occupy a dwelling. A unit must provide at least 175 square feet for the first occupant, 125 square feet for the second, and 100 square feet for each additional person. Lodging and rooming units follow the same formula, while communal sleeping arrangements in clubs, dormitories, and Greek-letter houses are calculated differently—dividing the room's square footage by 80 to arrive at the permitted headcount.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators subject to Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 3 § 27-22 generally document the gross floor area of each unit and calculate the maximum permitted occupancy before advertising or leasing. Lease agreements and posted occupancy notices typically reflect the limits derived from the tiered square-footage formula. Owners of dormitories, clubs, or fraternity and sorority houses apply the separate 80-square-feet-per-occupant standard to each habitable sleeping room.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Syracuse Rev. Gen. Ord. ch. 27, art. 3 § 27-22, tenants have an interest in knowing whether the unit they occupy meets the minimum space requirements for the number of people living there. If a unit appears to fall below the required floor-area thresholds, residents may consider contacting the Syracuse Code Enforcement office or a local tenant-rights organization to understand available options. Documenting the unit's dimensions and the number of occupants can be useful when raising a potential violation through official channels.
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 1, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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