Great Neck Plaza, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 124 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 124-12
Nonhabitable space
Operative Text
A. Height. Nonhabitable space, except crawl spaces and attics, in multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing facilities shall have a minimum height of seven feet measured from floor to ceiling. B. Toilet rooms and bathrooms. (1) Toilet rooms and bathrooms in one-family and two-family dwellings shall have provisions for privacy. (2) Toilet rooms and bathrooms for dwelling units in multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing facilities shall be located within the dwelling units and shall be accessible from any sleeping room without passing through any other sleeping room and shall have provisions for adequate privacy. (3) Toilet rooms for employees in multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing facilities shall be in separate rooms for each sex where there are five or more employees, shall be readily accessible to such employees and shall not open directly into any public kitchen or other public space used for the cooking or preparation of food. (4) In one-family and two-family dwellings, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be provided with floors of moisture-resistant material. (5) In multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing facilities, floors of bathrooms, toilet rooms and similar spaces shall be surfaced with ceramic tile and such tile shall extend at least four inches above the floor on all walls. Such tile shall be maintained in a watertight condition so that floors can be flushed or washed without leaking. C. Light and ventilation. (1) Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be provided with artificial light appropriate for the use of such rooms. (2) Laundry rooms, furnace rooms and similar nonhabitable space shall be provided with artificial light appropriate for the intended use of such rooms. (3) Stairs shall be provided with artificial light to allow safe ascent or descent. (4) Kitchenettes, bathrooms and toilet rooms shall be provided with ventilation in accordance with either of the following: (a) Natural ventilation as required for habitable space, except that such openable areas shall be not less than 1 1/2 square feet for bathrooms or toilet rooms and not less than three square feet for kitchenettes; or (b) Mechanical ventilation exhausting not less than 25 cubic feet per minute for bathrooms and toilet rooms and not less than 100 cubic feet per minute for kitchenettes. (5) Spaces in multiple dwellings, hotels and specialized senior housing facilities which contain central heat-producing, air-conditioning and other equipment, or which are designed or used for the parking or storage of motor vehicles, shall be ventilated directly to the outer air, and air from these spaces shall not be recirculated to other parts of the building. (6) Ventilation shall be provided in unheated attics, spaces below flat roofs and crawl spaces. Location and net areas of ventilation openings shall be such as to minimize deterioration of structural members from condensation or other causes, in conformity with generally accepted standards.
Great Neck Plaza Code of Ordinances ch. 124 § 124-12 establishes minimum physical standards for nonhabitable spaces in residential and hotel buildings. It sets a seven-foot minimum ceiling height for most nonhabitable areas, requires toilet rooms and bathrooms to be private, accessible, and properly finished with moisture-resistant or ceramic tile surfaces, and mandates adequate artificial lighting and ventilation for kitchenettes, bathrooms, stairways, laundry rooms, and mechanical spaces. Ventilation requirements vary by space type, with specific minimums for natural openings and mechanical exhaust rates, and certain equipment rooms must vent directly to outside air without recirculation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings, hotels, and specialized senior housing facilities in Great Neck Plaza should ensure ongoing compliance with § 124-12 by maintaining nonhabitable spaces at or above the seven-foot ceiling height minimum, keeping bathroom and toilet room floors surfaced with ceramic tile that extends at least four inches up all walls and remains watertight, and verifying that mechanical ventilation systems meet the prescribed cubic-feet-per-minute minimums. Compliant operators also ensure that employee toilet facilities are sex-segregated when five or more employees are present and that mechanical equipment rooms vent directly to outside air. Lighting in stairways, laundry rooms, kitchenettes, and bathrooms is routinely checked to confirm it is appropriate for each space's intended use.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Great Neck Plaza Code § 124-12, tenants in multiple dwellings have a right to bathroom and toilet facilities that are located within their dwelling unit, accessible from sleeping rooms without passing through another sleeping room, and finished with properly maintained ceramic tile that prevents leakage. If bathroom floors are deteriorating, tile is missing, ventilation is inadequate, or lighting in common stairways is insufficient, these conditions may constitute code violations. Tenants who observe such conditions can document them and consider reporting to the local building or housing code enforcement office, or reach out to a tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
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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