Hempstead Village, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 78 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 78-16
Firesafety
Operative Text
A. Location of habitable space. No dwelling unit or rooming unit shall be located within a building containing any establishment handling, dispensing or storing flammable liquids in any manner which constitutes a danger to the lives of the occupants. B. Egress at ground level. Every dwelling unit and every rooming unit shall have safe, unobstructed means of egress leading to safe and open space at ground level. C. Obstruction of egress. Every hallway, stairway, corridor, exit, fire escape door and other means of egress shall be kept clear at all times. D. Prohibited storage. Storage rooms and storage lockers shall not be used for storage of junk, rubbish, waste or garbage. E. Storage beneath stairways. Closets or storage beneath stairways are prohibited in any multiple residence dwelling or any rooming house. F. Minimum egress facilities. There shall be at least two means of egress available from each story of every multiple residence dwelling and of every rooming house if the dwelling is three or more stories in height or is three stories in height and has at least five habitable rooms on the third story. A basement used as a dwelling unit for a superintendent of those premises shall not count as a story for the purpose of this subsection. G. Location of exit facilities. Exit facilities from dwellings or dwelling units shall lead to a public thoroughfare either directly or through a court or yard, and passage to such exits shall not lead through any other dwelling or dwelling unit. H. Cooking equipment to comply with code. No owner, operator or occupant shall furnish or use any cooking equipment which does not comply with this code. I. Condition of cooking equipment. Every piece of cooking equipment shall be so constructed and installed that it will function safely and effectively and shall be maintained in sound working condition. J. Portable cooking equipment. Portable cooking equipment employing gasoline, kerosene or other high flammables as fuel for cooking is prohibited. K. Chimneys, flues, vents. All heating, cooking and water-heating equipment burning solid fuels shall be rigidly connected to a chimney or flue, and such heating equipment burning liquid or gaseous fuels shall be rigidly connected to a supply line and to a chimney, flue or vent. L. Heating equipment; installation, use. Heating equipment shall be installed in a manner which will avoid the dangerous concentration of fumes and gases. Unvented portable space heaters burning liquid or gaseous fuels shall be prohibited. Heating equipment shall not be forced to operate beyond the safe capacity for which it was designed. M. Storage of fuel. Fuels shall be stored in accordance with generally accepted practice and in a manner which will minimize the danger of fire. No gasoline or highly flammable fuel shall be stored within any structure used for human habitation.
Section 78-16 of Hempstead Village's Code of Ordinances establishes a comprehensive set of fire-safety requirements for dwelling units and rooming units. The provision governs where habitable spaces may be located relative to flammable-liquid hazards, mandates clear and accessible means of egress at all times, restricts what may be stored in common areas and under stairways, sets minimum egress requirements for taller multi-residence buildings, and regulates the installation, use, and condition of cooking and heating equipment. It also prohibits the storage of gasoline or highly flammable fuels inside any structure used for human habitation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of residential properties in Hempstead Village subject to § 78-16 generally maintain unobstructed hallways, stairways, corridors, and fire escapes at all times and ensure that every dwelling or rooming unit has at least one safe, clear path of egress leading to open space at ground level. Compliant operators of multiple-residence dwellings of three or more stories provide at least two means of egress per story as required by § 78-16(F), and they verify that all cooking and heating equipment is properly installed, vented, and maintained in sound working condition. Storage areas are kept free of junk, rubbish, and waste, no storage is permitted beneath stairways in multi-residence or rooming-house settings, and no gasoline or highly flammable fuels are stored anywhere within the structure.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 78-16, tenants in Hempstead Village have a right to live in a dwelling where egress routes are clear, cooking and heating equipment is safe and properly maintained, and no dangerous flammable fuels are stored within the building. If a tenant observes blocked exits, prohibited storage under stairways, malfunctioning cooking or heating equipment, or other conditions that appear to violate § 78-16, they may report those conditions to the appropriate Hempstead Village code-enforcement or housing authority. Tenants may also wish to document any such conditions in writing and consult a local tenant-rights organization to understand the range of options available to them.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation