Massena, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 227 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 227-4
Registration of rental properties
Operative Text
A. All property owners that, as of the effective date of this article, rent a housing or dwelling unit within the Village of Massena must register their property with the Code Enforcement Office no less than 30 days after the effective date of this article. Such registration shall be on a form designated by the Code Enforcement Office from time to time. B. Any property owner that rents a housing or dwelling unit after the effective date of this article must register their property with the Code Enforcement Office no less than five days prior to renting such housing or dwelling unit. Such registration shall be on a form designated by the Code Enforcement Office from time to time. C. All landlords must renew their registration annually with the Village of Massena Code Enforcement Office on or before December 31 of each and every calendar year. D. Absentee landlords must designate a resident agent for service of process that resides within the corporate boundaries of St. Lawrence County. The contact information for such resident agent must be provided to the Village Code Enforcement Office at the time of each and every registration as set forth above. If a resident agent's residence should be removed from St. Lawrence County at any time during a yearly registration period, a new agent must be designated by the property owner, and the contact information for the new resident agent must be provided to the Code Enforcement Office within 30 days of the prior resident agent moving from St. Lawrence County. E. In the event of a resident agent no longer representing a property, the contact information for a new resident agent must be reported to the Code Enforcement Office within 30 days of such change. F. It shall be a violation of this article for any property owner to offer any housing or dwelling unit for rent, or to allow any housing or dwelling unit to be occupied, without registering with the Code Enforcement Office as set forth herein. G. Failure to receive notice of registration deadlines will not excuse failure to register as set forth herein. It is the property owner's responsibility to fulfill registration requirements.
Section 227-4 of Massena's Code of Ordinances establishes a mandatory registration system for all rental housing within the Village of Massena. Owners who were already renting at the time the article took effect had 30 days to register, while new rental activity requires registration at least five days before a unit is offered or occupied. Registration must be renewed annually by December 31, and absentee landlords must maintain a designated resident agent located within St. Lawrence County, with any changes to that agent reported to the Code Enforcement Office within 30 days.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 227-4, compliant rental property operators in Massena maintain an active, up-to-date registration with the Village Code Enforcement Office at all times — registering before renting any new unit, renewing by December 31 each year, and never offering or allowing occupancy of an unregistered unit. Absentee landlords keep a current St. Lawrence County resident agent on file and promptly notify the Code Enforcement Office within 30 days whenever that agent changes or relocates outside the county. Because § 227-4(G) places the burden of compliance squarely on the property owner, operators generally track deadlines independently rather than waiting for reminder notices from the village.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 227-4 requires that any housing or dwelling unit offered for rent in Massena be registered with the Village Code Enforcement Office, which means tenants have a basis to inquire whether their unit is properly registered. If a unit appears to be unregistered or a landlord cannot demonstrate current registration, that may constitute a violation of § 227-4 that can be reported to the Massena Code Enforcement Office. Tenants who have questions about their landlord's registration status or how a violation might affect their tenancy may find it useful to contact a local tenant-rights organization or legal aid service for general guidance.
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
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.