Newburgh, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 190 § 190-99
Natural light in habitable rooms
Operative Text
A. General requirements. Every habitable room shall have at least one window or skylight facing directly to the outdoors. The minimum aggregate area available for unobstructed light shall be not less than 10% of the floor of such rooms. B. Rules and regulations. Whenever walls or other portions of structures face the window of a habitable room and the ratio of the distance between the window and the obstruction and the height of the obstruction above the windowsill is greater than 1:6, such window shall not be deemed to face directly to the outdoors or be included as contributing to the total window area. These regulations shall not be interpreted as applicable to new construction under any circumstances.
Section 190-99 of Newburgh's Code of Ordinances establishes minimum natural-light standards for habitable rooms. Every such room must have at least one window or skylight that opens directly to the outdoors, and the total unobstructed glazed area must equal at least 10% of the room's floor area. A window blocked by a nearby wall or structure at a ratio greater than 1:6 (obstruction height to distance) does not count toward that requirement, though the rule explicitly does not apply to new construction.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of existing residential properties in Newburgh should verify that each habitable room meets the natural-light standard set out in § 190-99, meaning at least one qualifying window or skylight with aggregate unobstructed area equal to or exceeding 10% of the room's floor area. When a wall or structure sits close to a window, landlords generally measure the distance-to-height ratio to confirm the window still qualifies as facing directly outdoors under the 1:6 rule. Because § 190-99 expressly exempts new construction, these checks are most relevant for owners of existing buildings undergoing renovation or re-occupancy review.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 190-99 of Newburgh's Code of Ordinances, tenants in existing residential buildings have a right to habitable rooms with adequate natural light — at least one qualifying window or skylight covering 10% of the floor area. If a room appears to lack sufficient natural light, tenants may consider documenting the conditions and raising the issue with Newburgh's code enforcement office as a potential housing code violation. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with New York housing law can help residents understand how this provision interacts with broader habitability protections.
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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