Cal. Civ. Code § 252
Privacy
Operative Text
§ 252. Privacy. In every apartment of three or more rooms in any tenement erected after April twelfth, nineteen hundred one, there shall be access to every living room and bedroom and to at least one compartment or bathroom containing a water-closet without passing through any bedroom.
New York Multiple Dwelling Law § 252 establishes a layout requirement for apartments in tenements built after April 12, 1901. Specifically, in any apartment with three or more rooms, every living room and bedroom must be directly accessible, and at least one toilet compartment or bathroom must be reachable without having to walk through a bedroom. The rule is essentially a privacy and habitability standard baked into the building's physical design.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 252, operators of qualifying tenement buildings constructed after April 12, 1901 are generally expected to maintain floor plans in which no resident must pass through a bedroom to reach a living room, another bedroom, or at least one bathroom or water-closet compartment. Compliant building managers typically ensure that renovation or alteration work does not create new circulation paths that violate this corridor-and-access requirement. Documenting the original and any modified floor layouts can help demonstrate ongoing compliance during inspections.
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 § 252 gives tenants in post-1901 tenements with three or more rooms a right to apartment layouts that do not force passage through a bedroom to reach living spaces or at least one toilet facility. If a tenant believes the physical layout of their unit violates this provision — for example, because a renovation created a non-compliant access path — they may consider raising the issue with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development or the relevant local housing authority, or consulting a tenant-rights organization familiar with multiple dwelling law. Documenting the floor plan with photographs and a written description can be a useful step when reporting a potential violation under § 252.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.