N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2067
Sanitary facilities in rooming units (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
a. Every building containing rooming units, and each individual apartment used for single room occupancy, shall contain at least one water closet, washbasin and bath or shower for each six persons lawfully occupying rooming units therein, and for any remainder of less than six persons. At least one water closet shall be located on any floor containing a rooming unit. If there are not more than two rooms on the first story above the basement in said rooming house, no water closet is required on such floor but the occupants of the room shall be counted in determining the required number of facilities. b. Every occupant of a rooming unit shall have access to each required water closet, washbasin and bath or shower without passing through any other rooming unit or portion of the dwelling reserved for other occupants. c. Any additional water closet installed to comply with the requirements of subdivision a of this section shall be located in a compartment, separate from any other water closet, bath or shower, except that a required washbasin may be provided in such compartment. Such additional baths, or showers, shall be located in compartments separate from every required water closet. d. Sanitary facilities for the exclusive use of and accessible only to the occupants of one rooming unit may be combined in a bathroom. Neither the facilities nor the occupants shall be counted in determining the number of the facilities required in subdivision a of this section.
New York City Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2067 establish minimum sanitary facility requirements for buildings containing rooming units and single-room-occupancy apartments. The rule requires at least one toilet, washbasin, and bath or shower for every six occupants (or fraction thereof), with at least one toilet on every floor that has a rooming unit. Each occupant must be able to reach these shared facilities without passing through another occupant's space, and any private bathroom serving only one unit's occupants exclusively may be excluded from the shared-facility count.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of rooming houses and SRO buildings subject to §§ 27-2001 and 27-2067 generally maintain a ratio of one toilet, washbasin, and bath or shower for every six lawful occupants, ensuring at least one toilet is present on each floor with a rooming unit. Compliant buildings provide unobstructed access routes to shared facilities so that no occupant must pass through another occupant's private space to reach them. Any additional toilets added to meet the ratio requirement are typically placed in separate compartments, and private bathrooms dedicated exclusively to a single unit's occupants are tracked separately and excluded from the shared-facility calculation.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under §§ 27-2001 and 27-2067, tenants in rooming units and SRO apartments have a right to adequate shared sanitary facilities—at least one toilet, washbasin, and bath or shower per six occupants—as well as a path to those facilities that does not require passing through another occupant's space. If these conditions are not met, tenants may be able to raise the violation as a defense in housing court proceedings or file a complaint with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which enforces the Housing Maintenance Code. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with SRO housing can help occupants understand the range of options 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 October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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