Cal. Civ. Code § 25
Application of article three
Operative Text
§ 25. Application of article three. Except as otherwise expressly
provided, all the provisions of this article shall apply to every
multiple dwelling erected after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred
twenty-nine. Except as otherwise expressly provided, only the following
enumerated sections of this article, and then only to the extent
required therein, shall apply to multiple dwellings, whether class A or
class B, erected before such date:
§ 28. Two or more buildings on 59. Bakeries and fat boiling
same lot 60. Motor vehicle storage
29. Painting of courts and 61. Business uses
shafts 62. Parapets, guard railings
31. Size of rooms--subdi- and wires--subdivision two
vision six 66. Lodging houses
33. Cooking spaces 67. Hotels and certain other
35. Entrance doors and class A and B dwellings
lights 75. Water supply
37. Artificial hall lighting 76. Water-closet and bath
50-a. Entrances: doors, accommodations
locks and intercommunication 77. Plumbing and drainage
systems 78. Repairs
52. Stairs 79. Heating
55. Wainscoting 80. Cleanliness
56. Frame buildings and 81. Receptacles for waste
extensions matter
57. Bells; mail receptacles 83. Janitor or housekeeper
58. Incombustible materials
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 25 establishes a dividing line based on a building's construction date: April 18, 1929. Multiple dwellings built after that date must comply with every provision in Article Three of the Multiple Dwelling Law, unless a specific exception is stated elsewhere. Buildings constructed before that date are held to a narrower set of obligations, with only the explicitly enumerated sections—covering topics such as water supply, plumbing, heating, stairs, entrance lighting, and waste receptacles—applying to them, and only to the degree each listed section specifies.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of multiple dwellings subject to N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 25 generally determine their building's construction date as a threshold compliance step, since that date controls which Article Three requirements apply. Owners of pre-1929 buildings typically focus their compliance reviews on the enumerated sections listed in § 25—such as those governing water supply, plumbing, heating, and entrance security—rather than the full Article Three framework. Owners of post-April 18, 1929 buildings, by contrast, generally treat all Article Three provisions as applicable unless a specific statutory exception is identified.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 25 defines which building maintenance and habitability standards a landlord is required to meet based on when the building was constructed. Tenants in buildings built after April 18, 1929 can look to the full range of Article Three protections, while those in older buildings may focus on the specific enumerated sections—such as those addressing heating, water supply, plumbing, and entrance conditions—when evaluating whether a condition may constitute a violation. Tenants who believe a covered condition is not being maintained may consider raising the issue with a local housing or building code enforcement agency, consulting a tenant-rights organization, or exploring whether a violation under § 25 may be relevant to any existing housing proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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