Cal. Civ. Code § 193
Frame buildings
Operative Text
§ 193. Frame buildings. No frame building shall be erected or maintained upon the same lot with a dwelling converted after April twenty-eighth, nineteen hundred thirty, nor shall any frame building not occupied on April thirteenth, nineteen hundred forty, as a multiple dwelling be altered or converted to such use; except that if the walls of a frame converted dwelling are faced with a veneer of brick and the entrance story is occupied by not more than one family, such entrance story may be altered so that it may be occupied by two families.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 193 restricts the use of frame buildings in connection with multiple dwellings converted after a specific historical date. Under this rule, a frame building generally cannot be built or kept on the same lot as such a converted dwelling, and a frame building that was not already being used as a multiple dwelling by April 13, 1940 cannot be altered or converted to that use. A narrow exception exists: if a frame converted dwelling has brick-veneered walls and its entrance story houses only one family, that entrance story may be modified to accommodate two families.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 193 generally ensure that no frame structure is erected or retained on a lot shared with a post-April 1930 converted dwelling. Compliant operators also verify that any frame building on their property was already functioning as a multiple dwelling before April 13, 1940, before pursuing any alteration or conversion to that use. Those seeking to invoke the brick-veneer exception typically confirm that the entrance story meets the occupancy and wall-facing conditions the provision specifies before proceeding with any modification.
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 § 193 establishes baseline structural and use restrictions that affect whether a building can lawfully function as a multiple dwelling. Tenants who believe their building may have been unlawfully converted or altered in violation of this provision can raise that concern as a potential defense in housing court proceedings or bring it to the attention of local housing or building code enforcement agencies. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with New York multiple dwelling law can help residents understand how § 193 may apply to their building's history and what complaint or reporting options are generally available.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.