Cal. Civ. Code § 178
Lighting and ventilation of stairs
Operative Text
§ 178. Lighting and ventilation of stairs. Where the stair and public halls are not provided on each story with windows opening to a street, yard or court, a skylight equipped with ridge ventilators having an opening of forty square inches or more shall be provided in the roof over the stair, except as otherwise provided in paragraph g of subdivision three of section one hundred seventy-one. The glazed roof of such skylight shall not be less in area than nine square feet nor less than two feet in its least dimension, provided the ventilating and glass areas in such skylight are not less than herein required; except that in dwellings converted before April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, where a skylight smaller than such prescribed dimensions was in existence on such date, no structural change shall be required, but a ventilating skylight fitting the existing skylight opening in the roof beams shall be deemed sufficient.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 178 establishes minimum standards for lighting and ventilating stairwells and public halls in multiple dwellings when those spaces lack windows opening to a street, yard, or court on each floor. In such cases, the law requires a skylight over the stairwell fitted with ridge ventilators providing at least forty square inches of opening, and the skylight's glazed area must be no smaller than nine square feet with a minimum dimension of two feet. A limited exception applies to dwellings converted before April 18, 1929, where a smaller skylight already existed — those buildings are not required to make structural changes, provided a ventilating skylight fills the existing roof-beam opening.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings subject to N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 178 generally ensure that any stairwell or public hall without per-story windows opening to a street, yard, or court is served by a compliant rooftop skylight with ridge ventilators meeting the forty-square-inch minimum opening requirement. Compliant operators also verify that the glazed area of the skylight meets the nine-square-foot and two-foot minimum-dimension thresholds. Owners of pre-April 18, 1929 converted buildings with smaller pre-existing skylights should document that condition and confirm a ventilating skylight properly fits the existing roof-beam opening, as that configuration is recognized under the statute.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in multiple dwellings covered by N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 178 have an interest in knowing that stairwells and public halls without adequate window access to outside air are supposed to be served by a properly sized and ventilated skylight. If a stairwell appears to lack required lighting or ventilation, tenants may consider documenting the condition and filing a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development or the relevant local housing authority, depending on the municipality. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how a violation of § 178 might be raised in housing court proceedings or other enforcement contexts.
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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