Cal. Civ. Code § 37
Artificial hall lighting
Operative Text
§ 37. Artificial hall lighting. 1. In every multiple dwelling the owner shall provide a light or lights, each of at least sixty watts incandescent or twenty watts cool white fluorescent or equivalent illumination, for every vestibule and entrance hall in every public hall, stair, fire-stair and fire-tower on every floor. Said light or lights shall be located as prescribed by the department, but, in every stair, fire-stair or fire-tower, shall be so located that every part thereof shall be lighted. 2. Except as provided in subdivision three, every such light shall be turned on by the owner at sunset every day and shall not be turned off by the owner until the following sunrise. Every such light shall be kept burning daily from sunset until sunrise, but if it becomes extinguished and remains so without the knowledge or consent of the owner he shall not be liable. The burden shall be upon the owner to show that the light became and remained extinguished without his knowledge or consent. 3. Every light in every fire-stair and fire-tower at every story, and in every stair and public hall at every story where there is no window opening to the outer air, shall be kept burning continuously except that this provision shall not apply to public halls lighted as provided in subdivision eleven of section two hundred seventeen. 4. When the natural light in any public hall in a multiple dwelling is not sufficient to permit a person to read the names on a mail box or other receptacle for mail, the owner shall install a lighting fixture directly over such mail box or receptacle and maintain it in serviceable condition, so that a light may be turned on at any time for the convenience of tenants or the mail carrier.
New York Multiple Dwelling Law § 37 establishes minimum artificial lighting requirements for common areas in multiple dwellings. Owners must provide lights of at least a specified wattage in vestibules, entrance halls, public halls, stairs, fire-stairs, and fire-towers on every floor, with those lights kept on from sunset to sunrise each day. Certain areas—such as fire-stairs, fire-towers, and interior public halls without windows—must be lit continuously around the clock. Additionally, when natural light is insufficient to read mail receptacle names, a dedicated light fixture must be installed and maintained directly above the mail area.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 37, compliant building operators generally ensure that all required common-area lights meet the minimum wattage or equivalent illumination thresholds and are positioned as directed by the relevant department. Owners typically operate these lights on a sunset-to-sunrise schedule for standard halls and vestibules, while maintaining continuous lighting in fire-stairs, fire-towers, and windowless interior public halls. Operators also generally inspect and maintain a dedicated mail-area fixture wherever natural light falls short of allowing names on mail receptacles to be read, keeping that fixture in serviceable condition at all times.
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 § 37 gives tenants in multiple dwellings the right to adequately lit common areas, including hallways, stairwells, fire-stairs, and mail areas, maintained by the building owner. If lighting in these areas appears to fall below the standards described in § 37—such as lights that are consistently off during nighttime hours or a dark mail area lacking a dedicated fixture—tenants may consider documenting the conditions and raising the issue with the building owner or management. Tenants also have the option of filing a complaint with the local housing or building department, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for information 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 September 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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