Hempstead Town, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 88 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 88-6
General requirements relating to safe and sanitary maintenance
Operative Text
No person shall occupy as owner-occupant or let to another for occupancy any dwelling or dwelling unit for the purpose of living therein which does not comply with the following requirements: A. Every foundation, floor, wall, ceiling and roof shall be reasonably weathertight, watertight and rodentproof, shall be capable of affording privacy, and shall be kept in good repair. B. Every window, exterior door and basement hatchway shall be kept reasonably weathertight, watertight and rodentproof, and shall be kept in sound working condition and good repair. C. Every inside and outside stair, every porch and every appurtenance thereto shall be maintained and kept in sound condition and good repair. D. Every plumbing fixture and water and waste pipe shall be properly installed and maintained in good sanitary working condition, free from defects, leaks and obstructions. E. Every water-closet compartment floor surface and bathroom floor surface shall be constructed and maintained so as to be impervious to water and so as to permit such floor to be easily kept in a clean and sanitary condition. F. All rainwater shall be so drained and conveyed from every roof so as not to cause dampness in the walls, ceilings or floors of any habitable room or of any bathroom or water-closet compartment. G. All exterior wood surfaces shall be adequately protected from water seepage and against decay. H. All walls, ceilings, interior woodwork, doors and windows shall be kept free of flaking, peeling or loose paint. I. Every supplied facility, piece of equipment or utility which is required under this chapter shall be so constructed or installed that it will function safely and effectively and shall be maintained in satisfactory working condition. J. No owner, operator or occupant shall cause any service, facility, equipment or utility which is required under this chapter, to be removed from or shut off from or discontinued for any occupied dwelling let or occupied by him, except for such temporary interruption as may be necessary while actual repairs or alterations are in process or during temporary emergencies when discontinuance of service is approved by the Manager of the Building Department. K. No owner shall occupy or let to any other occupant any vacant dwelling unit unless it is clean, sanitary and fit for human occupancy.
Hempstead Town Code ch. 88 § 88-6 establishes a baseline set of physical and sanitary conditions that every dwelling or dwelling unit must meet before it can be occupied or rented. The rule covers structural elements such as foundations, walls, roofs, stairs, and porches, as well as systems including plumbing, drainage, and utilities, requiring all of them to be kept in good repair and safe working order. It also prohibits owners and operators from cutting off required services or utilities to an occupied unit except during actual repair work or emergencies approved by the Building Department Manager, and bars any vacant unit from being re-occupied unless it is clean, sanitary, and fit for human habitation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Hempstead Town Code ch. 88 § 88-6, compliant property owners and managers generally ensure that all structural components—foundations, walls, ceilings, roofs, windows, doors, and stairs—are kept weathertight, rodentproof, and in good repair on an ongoing basis. They also maintain plumbing fixtures, drainage systems, exterior wood surfaces, and interior paint in the condition the section describes, and they do not remove or discontinue any required service or utility from an occupied unit without Building Department Manager approval except during active repairs. Before re-renting a vacant unit, operators typically verify that the unit meets the cleanliness and fitness standards set out in subsection K of this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Hempstead Town Code ch. 88 § 88-6 gives tenants a basis to expect that their dwelling's structure, plumbing, drainage, utilities, and interior surfaces will be maintained in safe and sanitary condition throughout their occupancy. If conditions such as leaking pipes, peeling paint, rodent entry points, or a discontinued utility fall short of what the section requires, tenants may have grounds to raise those deficiencies as a violation with the Hempstead Town Building Department. Tenants may also wish to document conditions in writing, contact a local tenant-rights organization for general information, or consult an attorney to understand what remedies may be available under this provision.
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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