Cal. Civ. Code § 212
Yards and courts
Operative Text
§ 212. Yards and courts. 1. No tenement shall be enlarged or its lot diminished in any way which would leave any yard or court less in any dimension than the minimum dimensions prescribed for yards or courts in section twenty-six. The restrictions of this subdivision shall not apply to tenements erected after April twelfth, nineteen hundred one, on lots which run through from one street to another street and do not exceed one hundred feet in depth. 2. Any court constructed on or after December fifteenth, nineteen hundred sixty-one in a tenement to ventilate any room, public hall, water-closet compartment or bathroom shall be of the dimensions prescribed in section twenty-six, and such court shall under no circumstances be roofed or covered over at the top. Every such court, if an inner court, shall be provided at the bottom with one or more horizontal air-intakes constructed as provided in section twenty-six. 3. Any shaft or court constructed after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, which is used to light or ventilate any room occupied for living purposes in any old-law tenement shall be at least twenty-five square feet in area and four feet in width in every part, and shall under no circumstances be roofed or covered over at the top. Every such shaft shall be provided at the bottom with a horizontal air-intake or duct at least four square feet in area communicating directly with a street or yard and so arranged as to be easily cleaned. 4. In every old-law tenement there shall be a door at the bottom of every shaft and inner court giving access to the shaft or court and whenever the shaft or inner court is less than two hundred square feet in area or ten feet in any dimension, such door and its assembly shall be fireproof with the door self-closing. Where a window or door existing on April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine, gives proper access to such a shaft or court, such window or door shall be deemed sufficient.
New York Multiple Dwelling Law § 212 governs how yards and courts in tenement buildings may be sized, altered, and ventilated. The law prohibits enlarging a tenement or shrinking its lot in any way that would reduce a yard or court below the minimum dimensions set out in § 26, with a limited exception for certain through-lots erected after April 12, 1901. Courts built on or after December 15, 1961 must meet prescribed dimensions, can never be roofed or covered at the top, and inner courts must include air-intakes at the bottom; older shafts and courts in old-law tenements are subject to their own minimum area, width, and air-intake requirements, and access doors at the base of shafts and inner courts must meet specific fireproofing and self-closing standards when the space falls below certain size thresholds.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating tenement buildings subject to N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 212 generally ensure that any proposed enlargement of the building or reduction of the lot is reviewed against the minimum yard and court dimensions in § 26 before work begins. Compliant operators maintain courts constructed on or after December 15, 1961 free of any roofing or covering at the top and verify that inner courts have functioning horizontal air-intakes at the bottom. For old-law tenements specifically, operators typically confirm that shafts and inner courts meet the area and width minimums under § 212(3), that air-intake ducts are accessible and cleanable, and that access doors at the base of qualifying shafts and inner courts are fireproof and self-closing where the dimensions trigger that requirement.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Tenants living in tenement buildings covered by N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 212 have an interest in knowing that their building's yards, courts, and shafts are required to meet minimum size and ventilation standards, and that courts serving their rooms cannot lawfully be roofed over or blocked in ways that cut off required airflow. If a court or shaft appears to have been altered, covered, or reduced in a way that may conflict with § 212, tenants can document the condition and consider raising it with the New York City Department of Buildings or the relevant local housing enforcement agency. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand whether a potential violation of § 212 may be relevant to a housing court proceeding or a formal complaint process.
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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