Cal. Civ. Code § 162
Single ownership
Operative Text
§ 162. Single ownership. The owner of any site or plot upon which a garden-type maisonette dwelling project is proposed to be erected shall execute and file in the office of the recording officer in the county where deeds of conveyances are recorded an instrument in writing which shall declare that, so long as any of the buildings proposed to be erected remain standing, a conveyance of any part or parts of such project shall, thereupon, cause all the buildings on such site or plot to be and become unlawful structures, and any prior certificate of occupancy issued for such structures shall thereupon become void. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit the sale of any part of such project, provided, however, that the part which is so conveyed and the remaining part of the project shall be made to comply to all of the applicable provisions of this chapter.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 162, before a garden-type maisonette dwelling project can be built, the site owner must record a formal written instrument declaring that the entire project must remain under single ownership for as long as any of its buildings stand. If any portion of the project is later sold off separately, all buildings on the site automatically become unlawful structures and any existing certificates of occupancy are voided. A partial sale is not outright prohibited, but only if both the conveyed portion and the remainder are brought into full compliance with all applicable provisions of the Multiple Dwelling Law.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Owners and developers planning a garden-type maisonette dwelling project under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 162 generally record the required single-ownership declaration with the county recording officer before construction begins, ensuring the instrument is properly executed and filed. Compliant operators treat any contemplated partial conveyance of the project as a significant regulatory event, since such a transfer triggers the voiding of existing certificates of occupancy unless both resulting parcels are brought into full compliance with the Multiple Dwelling Law. Property managers overseeing these projects typically maintain awareness of this recorded instrument when evaluating any future sale, subdivision, or transfer of any portion of the site.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 162 establishes that a garden-type maisonette dwelling project is legally required to carry a recorded declaration tying the validity of its certificates of occupancy to continued single ownership of the site. Tenants living in such a project may have an interest in whether that declaration was properly filed and whether any ownership changes have affected the legal status of the buildings and their certificates of occupancy. Tenants who have questions about compliance with § 162 can consult local tenant-rights organizations, contact the relevant municipal building or housing department, or raise any apparent violation through available administrative or legal 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 September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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