Cal. Civ. Code § 189
Stair and public hall construction
Operative Text
§ 189. Stair and public hall construction. Except as provided in paragraph g of subdivision three of section one hundred seventy-one, stairs and public halls shall conform to the following provisions: 1. In a dwelling more than a basement and three other stories in height or occupied by four families or more, the soffit and stringers of every stair between the lowest entrance story and the next higher story and the walls and ceilings of every lowest entrance hall shall be fire-retarded and in such dwellings converted on and after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-eight, all doors opening to such entrance hall and stairs, and the door assemblies, shall be fireproof with the doors self-closing. In lieu of the requirements of this subdivision, a sprinkler system may be installed in accordance with the provisions of section one hundred eighty-seven. 2. Every door opening from any stair, entrance hall or other public hall to any other part of the dwelling shall be self-closing. Every glazed transom over any such door shall be glazed with wire glass. Every transom shall be stationary. On and after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-seven, every glazed panel or other glazed opening in any such door shall be glazed with wire glass. 3. Every stair, except a basement or cellar stair, shall be two feet six inches or more in clear width. Any wooden stair may be replaced by an iron stair of like dimensions. Every entrance hall shall be two feet eight inches or more in clear width. 4. If the number of rooms in a class B dwelling is increased and there are sixteen sleeping rooms or more above a basement or, if there be no basement, above the main entrance story, all partitions and ceilings enclosing public halls and stairs shall be fire-retarded throughout. All doors opening to such public halls and stairs, and their assemblies, shall be fireproof with the doors self-closing. Stairs shall be fireproof and shall extend from the main entrance story through a bulkhead to the roof. 5. On and after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-seven, every interior sash, or opening other than a door, in the walls or partitions of any stair, entrance hall or other public hall, and every window therein not opening to the outer air, shall be removed and the openings closed up with material similar to the adjacent walls.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 189 establishes construction and fire-safety standards for stairs and public halls in multiple dwellings. Taller or more densely occupied buildings must have fire-retarded or fireproof materials in stair soffits, stringers, and entrance hall walls, with self-closing doors on qualifying openings. All doors leading from stairs or public halls to other parts of a dwelling must be self-closing, glazed transoms must use wire glass and be stationary, and minimum clear-width requirements apply to both stairs and entrance halls. A compliant sprinkler system may substitute for certain fire-retardant requirements under this section.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of buildings covered by N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 189 generally ensure that stair and public-hall construction meets the fire-retardant and fireproof material standards tied to building height and occupancy. Compliant buildings typically feature self-closing doors on all public-hall openings, wire glass in any glazed transoms or door panels, and stairs and entrance halls meeting the minimum clear-width dimensions specified in the section. Buildings converted after July 1, 1958, or Class B dwellings where room counts have increased, face additional requirements, and a qualifying sprinkler system may serve as an alternative to some fire-retardant mandates.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 189, tenants have an interest in stairs and public halls that meet fire-safety and construction standards, including self-closing doors, proper glazing, and adequate widths. If conditions such as propped-open fire doors, missing wire glass, or undersized stairways appear to fall short of these requirements, tenants can document the conditions and report them to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development or the relevant local housing authority. Tenants may also raise a violation of § 189 as a defense in certain housing proceedings or seek guidance from a tenant-rights organization.
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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