Pelham, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 54 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 54-127
Light
Operative Text
A. General. (1) Every habitable room shall have adequate sources of natural and artificial light. (2) Every nonhabitable room shall have an adequate source of natural or artificial light available at all times. B. Natural light. (1) Every habitable room shall have at least one (1) window or skylight or transparent or translucent panel or any combination thereof facing directly to the outdoors. The minimum aggregate area available for unobstructed light shall be at least ten percent (10%) of the floor area of such rooms. (2) Whenever an obstruction is higher than the top of the window and less than five (5) feet from it, such window shall not be deemed to face directly to the outdoors nor shall it be included as contributing to the total window area. C. Artificial light. (1) Every dwelling unit shall be supplied with at least one (1) fifteen-amp circuit. Such circuit shall not be shared with another dwelling unit. (2) Every habitable room and kitchen shall contain at least two (2) separate wall duplex electric convenience outlets, remote from each other, and one (1) supplied wall or ceiling electric light fixture. However, in lieu of a wall or ceiling fixture, an additional wall duplex electric convenience outlet is acceptable. (3) The artificial lighting equipment shall provide a minimum of one (1) watt per square foot of floor area. (4) Every nonhabitable room, including bathrooms, shower rooms, and water closet rooms and compartments shall be supplied with at least one (1) permanently installed ceiling or wall electric light fixture and one (1) wall electric convenience outlet. (5) Temporary wiring or extension cords shall not be used as permanent wiring. (6) Convenient switches for turning on one (1) light in each room or passageway shall be located so as to permit the area ahead to be lighted. Such switches shall be of such design as to avoid danger of electrical hazard. (7) There shall be a switch or other means for controlling a light in each dwelling unit near the point of entrance to such unit.
Section 54-127 of Pelham's Code of Ordinances establishes minimum lighting standards for all rooms in residential dwellings. Habitable rooms must receive natural light through windows, skylights, or translucent panels covering at least 10% of the floor area, and windows blocked by close obstructions do not count toward that requirement. Every dwelling unit must also have dedicated electrical circuits, a minimum number of outlets and fixtures in each room, and properly placed switches — with temporary extension cords explicitly prohibited as a substitute for permanent wiring.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of residential properties in Pelham must ensure that each habitable room meets the natural light threshold set by § 54-127, meaning unobstructed glazing equal to at least 10% of the room's floor area. On the electrical side, compliant properties provide each dwelling unit with its own dedicated 15-amp circuit, at least two duplex outlets and one light fixture per habitable room and kitchen, and permanently installed fixtures in bathrooms and other nonhabitable spaces. Switches must be positioned so that occupants can illuminate the path ahead before entering a room or passageway, and no extension cords may serve as permanent wiring.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 54-127 of Pelham's Code of Ordinances, tenants are entitled to habitable rooms with sufficient natural light and to dwelling units wired with dedicated circuits, adequate outlets, and permanently installed light fixtures. If a landlord fails to maintain these conditions — for example, by allowing obstructions that block required window area or by relying on extension cords in place of permanent wiring — that may constitute a housing code violation. Tenants who believe these standards are not being met can document the conditions, raise the issue in writing with their landlord, and contact the Village of Pelham's code enforcement office or a local tenant-rights organization to learn about available remedies.
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.
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