Brewster, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 148 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 148-7
Classification of buildings
Operative Text
Buildings, for the purpose of this article, shall be classified in respect to their occupancies as follows: A. One- and two-family dwellings: buildings containing one or two dwelling units with fewer than four lodgers residing with a family in either one of such dwelling units. B. Multiple dwellings: (1) Buildings containing one or two dwelling units with more than four lodgers with a family in either one of such dwelling units. (2) Buildings containing three or more dwelling units. (3) Apartment houses and apartment hotels. (4) Lodging houses. (5) Buildings with sleeping accommodations for more than five persons, used or occupied as a club, dormitory, fraternity or sorority house or for similar uses. (6) Garden apartments. C. Accessory structures. Garages, carports and similar-type structures on residential premises.
Section 148-7 of Brewster, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 148 establishes a classification system that sorts residential buildings into three broad categories for regulatory purposes: one- and two-family dwellings, multiple dwellings, and accessory structures. A one- or two-family dwelling is distinguished from a multiple dwelling partly by the number of lodgers sharing the unit with a family—four or fewer keeps a building in the simpler category, while more than four pushes it into the multiple-dwelling category. Multiple dwellings also include buildings with three or more units, apartment houses, lodging houses, dormitories, fraternity or sorority houses, and garden apartments, while garages, carports, and similar structures on residential property form their own accessory-structure class.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers in Brewster should be aware that § 148-7 determines which regulatory tier applies to their building, and that tier can shift based on how many lodgers occupy a unit alongside a family. Operators of buildings that house more than four lodgers in a single unit, or that contain three or more dwelling units, are generally subject to the more extensive requirements that apply to multiple dwellings under this article. Keeping accurate records of unit counts and occupancy arrangements helps ensure a building is consistently classified and regulated correctly under ch. 148.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 148-7, the classification of the building where a tenant lives affects which protections and standards apply to that property under Brewster's Code of Ordinances ch. 148. Tenants who believe their building is misclassified—for example, a multi-unit property treated as a single-family dwelling—may have grounds to raise that issue with local code-enforcement authorities or a tenant-rights organization. Understanding which category applies to a residence can be a useful starting point when exploring what obligations a landlord carries under this article.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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