N.Y.C. Admin. Code tit. 27, ch. 2 § 27-2073
Requirements for kitchens and kitchenettes in one- and two-family dwellings (New York City Housing Maintenance Code)
Operative Text
The following requirements shall govern one- and two-family dwellings: a. The lighting and ventilation of kitchens constructed on or after July fourteenth, nineteen hundred sixty-seven shall be governed by the provisions on lighting and ventilation of section 27-2062 of article one of this subchapter. b. Every kitchenette constructed on or after July fourteenth, nineteen hundred sixty-seven shall be provided with a window opening upon a street, yard, or court. Such window shall be at least one foot wide, have a total area of at least three square feet and be at least ten percent of the floor area of such kitchenette. However, when a kitchenette is on the top story, it may have, in lieu of such window, a skylight at least one foot wide with a total area of at least four square feet or one-eighth of the area of the kitchenette, whichever is greater, and which shall have ventilating openings of at least one-half of the area of the skylight. In lieu of a window, a kitchenette may have mechanical ventilation to provide at least six changes per hour of the air volume of such kitchenette. c. Every kitchenette may be equipped with a door or doors, if the lower portion of each such door has a metal grille containing at least forty-eight square inches of clear openings or, in lieu of such a grille, there are two clear open spaces, each of at least twenty-four square inches, one between the bottom of the door and the floor, and the other between the top of the door and the head jamb. d. In every kitchen and kitchenette, constructed on or after July fourteenth, nineteen hundred sixty-seven, all combustible material immediately underneath or within one foot of any permanent apparatus used for cooking or warming food shall be fire-retarded or covered with asbestos at least three-sixteenths of an inch in thickness and twenty-six gauge metal or with fire-resistive material of equivalent rating, except where such permanent cooking or warming apparatus is installed in accordance with requirements established by the department in conformity with generally accepted safety standards. There shall always be at least two feet of clear space above any exposed cooking surfaces of such apparatus. e. The owner shall, in every kitchenette constructed on or after July fourteenth, nineteen hundred sixty-seven, fire-retard the ceilings and walls, exclusive of doors. f. The owner of a dwelling shall provide every kitchen and kitchenette with gas or electricity or both for cooking and with a sink with running water, equipped with a waste and trap at least two inches in diameter.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2073 establish minimum standards for kitchens and kitchenettes in one- and two-family dwellings in New York City. The rules cover natural lighting and ventilation (or approved mechanical alternatives), fire-retarding of walls, ceilings, and materials near cooking equipment, door airflow openings, and the provision of a sink with running water and a gas or electric cooking supply. Many of these requirements apply specifically to kitchens and kitchenettes constructed on or after July 14, 1967, though the obligation to supply a functional sink and cooking utility applies to all covered dwellings regardless of construction date.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2073, compliant operators of one- and two-family dwellings generally ensure that kitchenettes built on or after July 14, 1967, have an adequately sized window, skylight, or mechanical ventilation system meeting the specified air-change rate. Owners are also responsible for fire-retarding kitchenette ceilings and walls, ensuring combustible materials near permanent cooking apparatus are properly protected, and confirming that any kitchenette doors include the required grille or open-space clearances for airflow. For all kitchens and kitchenettes regardless of construction date, owners are expected to supply gas or electricity for cooking and a properly trapped and drained sink with running water.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y.C. Admin. Code §§ 27-2001 and 27-2073 give tenants in one- and two-family dwellings the right to a kitchen or kitchenette that meets specific habitability standards, including adequate ventilation, fire-retarded surfaces, and a functioning sink with running water connected to a proper waste trap. If these conditions are not met, tenants may have grounds to report the conditions to the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, which oversees housing maintenance code compliance. Tenant-rights organizations can help residents understand what documentation to gather and what general options—such as filing a complaint or raising a housing code violation as a defense in a housing proceeding—may be available.
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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