Amherst, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 151 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 151-71
Toilet rooms
Operative Text
A. Privacy. Toilet rooms and bathrooms shall provide privacy and shall not constitute the only passageway to a hall or other space, or to the exterior. A door and interior locking device shall be provided for all common or shared bathrooms and toilet rooms in a multiple dwelling. B. Location. Toilet rooms and bathrooms serving hotel units, rooming units or dormitory units shall have access by traversing not more than one flight of stairs and shall have access from a common hall or passageway. C. Location of employee toilet facilities. Toilet facilities shall have access from within the employees' regular working area. The required toilet facilities shall be located not more than one story above or below the employees' regular working area, and the path of travel to such facilities shall not exceed a distance of 500 feet (152 m). Employee facilities shall either be separate facilities or public customer facilities. Exception: Facilities that are required for employees in storage structures or kiosks, which are located in adjacent structures under the same ownership, lease or control, shall not exceed a travel distance of 500 feet (152 m) from the employees' regular working area to the facilities.
Section 151-71 of Amherst, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 151 establishes standards for toilet rooms and bathrooms in residential and certain occupational settings. Bathroom spaces must afford privacy and cannot serve as the sole route between other areas of a building or to the outside. In multiple dwellings, shared bathrooms must have lockable doors, and in hotel, rooming, or dormitory units, bathrooms must be reachable via no more than one flight of stairs from a common hall. For workplaces, employee toilet facilities must be accessible within the regular work area, within one story vertically, and no more than 500 feet away.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings, hotels, rooming houses, and dormitories in Amherst should ensure that all shared or common bathrooms and toilet rooms comply with the privacy and access requirements of ch. 151 § 151-71. Compliant properties typically feature lockable doors on shared bathrooms, bathroom access from common hallways rather than through other rooms, and—where employees are present—toilet facilities located within one story and 500 feet of the regular work area. Routine property inspections that verify these layout and hardware conditions help demonstrate ongoing compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Amherst, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 151 § 151-71, tenants in multiple dwellings are entitled to shared bathrooms that have lockable doors and that do not require passing through another tenant's private space to reach. If a shared bathroom lacks a locking device, serves as a passageway, or is otherwise inaccessible from a common hall, that condition may constitute a code violation. Tenants who believe their building falls short of these standards can document the conditions, raise the issue with their landlord in writing, or contact the appropriate Amherst code enforcement office to inquire about filing a complaint.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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