Mount Vernon, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 149 § 149-64
When installation required; obstruction or removal unlawful
Operative Text
A. The landlord shall provide, install and maintain a window guard of a type deemed acceptable by the Department, installation to be made pursuant to specifications provided by the Department, on the windows of each dwelling unit in a multiple dwelling in which a child or children reside and on the windows, if any, in the public halls of a multiple dwelling in which such child or children reside, except that this section shall not apply to windows giving access to fire escapes or a window on the first floor that is a required means of egress from the dwelling unit. It shall be the duty of said landlord to ascertain whether such a child or children resides therein. B. No tenant or occupant of a multiple dwelling, or other person, shall obstruct or interfere with the installation of window guards required by Subsection A nor shall any person remove such window guards. C. No landlord shall refuse a written request of a tenant or occupant of a multiple dwelling to install window guards, regardless of whether such installation is required by Subsection A , except that this subsection shall not apply to windows giving access to fire escapes or to a window on the first floor that is a required means of egress from the dwelling unit.
Mount Vernon Code ch. 149 § 149-64 establishes rules about window guards in multiple dwellings. Landlords are required to install and maintain approved window guards on windows of units where children live, as well as on public hall windows in those buildings, with exceptions for fire-escape windows and first-floor egress windows. No tenant, occupant, or other person may block or remove required window guards, and landlords may not refuse a written tenant request for window guard installation even in units without children present.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Mount Vernon Code ch. 149 § 149-64, compliant property operators actively determine whether children reside in each dwelling unit and install Department-approved window guards according to Department specifications in those units and in the building's public halls. Operators also honor written requests from tenants or occupants for window guard installation, even when no child currently resides in the unit, while correctly identifying the exempted windows — those providing fire-escape access or serving as a required first-floor egress. Maintaining records of installation, tenant requests, and unit occupancy information related to children is a practice consistent with meeting the ongoing duties this section imposes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 149-64 of the Mount Vernon Code gives tenants and occupants the right to submit a written request for window guard installation, and landlords are prohibited from refusing such a request regardless of whether children live in the unit. Tenants living in units where children reside are also protected by the landlord's affirmative duty to install and maintain approved guards, and no one — including other occupants — may obstruct or remove those guards once installed. Tenants who believe this provision is being violated may consider contacting the Mount Vernon Department referenced in § 149-64 to report the issue, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for information about 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 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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