Cal. Civ. Code § 288
Definitions
Operative Text
§ 288. Definitions. As used in this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 1. The term "community district" shall refer to a community district as established pursuant to chapter sixty-nine of the New York city charter. 2. The term "inhabited basement dwelling unit" means a basement unlawfully occupied as a residence by one or more tenants on or prior to the effective date of this article, provided that such inhabited basement dwelling unit is located in any of the community districts specified in subdivision four of section two hundred eighty-nine of this article; 3. The term "inhabited cellar dwelling unit" means a cellar unlawfully occupied as a residence by one or more tenants on or prior to the effective date of this article, provided that such inhabited cellar dwelling unit is located in any of the community districts specified in subdivision four of section two hundred eighty-nine of this article; 4. The term "rented" means leased, let, or hired out, with or without a written agreement; and 5. The term "tenant" means an individual to whom an inhabited basement dwelling unit or an inhabited cellar dwelling unit is rented.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 288 establishes the key definitions that govern the rest of the article addressing basement and cellar dwelling units in New York City. It defines an 'inhabited basement dwelling unit' and an 'inhabited cellar dwelling unit' as spaces that were unlawfully occupied as residences on or before the article's effective date and that fall within specific community districts identified elsewhere in the law. The term 'tenant' under this article is limited to individuals renting one of those two types of units, and 'rented' is defined broadly to include any arrangement—written or not—by which a space is leased or let out.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in New York City should be aware that N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 288 sets the foundational vocabulary for the article's regulatory framework covering basement and cellar units. Compliant operators generally familiarize themselves with how 'inhabited basement dwelling unit' and 'inhabited cellar dwelling unit' are defined, since those definitions determine which spaces and which community districts fall under the article's scope. Understanding that 'rented' encompasses informal arrangements without written leases is also relevant to how operators document and manage occupancy in these spaces.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
If you occupy a basement or cellar space in New York City, N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 288 may be relevant to understanding your status under this article, since it defines who qualifies as a 'tenant' for purposes of the law. The definitions here—particularly the geographic limitation to certain community districts and the requirement that the unit was occupied on or before the article's effective date—determine whether the broader protections and provisions of the article apply to a given living situation. Tenants who want to understand whether their unit falls within these definitions can consult a tenant-rights organization or review the community district criteria set out in § 289 of the same law.
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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