Cal. Civ. Code § 214
Size of rooms
Operative Text
§ 214. Size of rooms. 1. In every tenement erected after April twelfth, nineteen hundred one, the sizes of living rooms shall meet the following requirements: a. In each apartment there shall be at least one living room containing at least one hundred twenty square feet of clear floor area, and every other living room except a kitchen shall contain at least seventy square feet of clear floor area. b. Every living room which contains less than eighty square feet of clear floor area or which is located in the cellar or basement shall be at least nine feet high, and every other living room at least eight feet high; these measurements to be taken from finished floor to finished ceiling. c. Every living room shall have a least horizontal dimension of at least six feet and, if the tenement was erected after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twelve, of at least seven feet; except that the minimum horizontal dimension of any kitchen and of a maid's or servant's sleeping room in a fire-proof tenement in which one or more passenger elevators are operated, shall be six feet. 2. In any tenement, apartments containing three or more rooms may have dining bays, which shall not exceed fifty-five square feet in floor surface area and shall not be deemed separate rooms or subject to the requirements for separate rooms or alcoves. Every such dining bay shall be equipped with such appropriate permanent fittings as may be required by the department and shall also be provided with at least one window opening directly upon a street or upon a yard or court which was lawful on April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine. The area of such window shall be one-eighth at least of the floor surface area of such dining bay. No dining bay shall be permitted in any apartment containing less than three rooms.
New York Multiple Dwelling Law § 214 establishes minimum size and dimension standards for living rooms in tenement buildings constructed after April 12, 1901. At least one living room per apartment must have 120 square feet of clear floor area, while other living rooms (excluding kitchens) must have at least 70 square feet. Ceiling heights, minimum horizontal dimensions, and rules for dining bays in apartments with three or more rooms are also specified, with the exact requirements varying based on when the building was erected.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of post-1901 tenement buildings are generally expected to ensure that each apartment's room configurations conform to the floor area, ceiling height, and horizontal dimension thresholds set out in N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 214. Compliant operators typically document the square footage and ceiling measurements of each living room and verify that any dining bays do not exceed 55 square feet, are limited to apartments with three or more rooms, and include a properly sized window opening onto a street, yard, or court. Buildings erected after April 18, 1912 are subject to a stricter minimum horizontal dimension of seven feet for most living rooms, so operators of those properties generally account for that distinction in their records and any renovation plans.
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 § 214, tenants in post-1901 tenement buildings have the benefit of legally established minimums for room size, ceiling height, and layout — meaning a landlord cannot lawfully maintain living spaces that fall below those thresholds. If a tenant believes a room in their apartment does not meet these standards, that potential violation may be relevant to housing court proceedings or complaints filed with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development or a comparable local authority. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand how § 214 standards apply to their building's construction date and room configurations.
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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