Cal. Civ. Code § 50-C
Rights of tenants to operate and maintain a lobby attendant service
Operative Text
§ 50-c. Rights of tenants to operate and maintain a lobby attendant service. 1. Tenants of every class A multiple dwelling containing eight or more apartments shall be entitled to maintain and operate a lobby attendant service for such multiple dwelling at any time or times when an attendant hired or furnished by the owner thereof shall not be on duty. Such lobby attendants so maintained by such tenants shall be engaged solely for security purposes and shall perform no acts or duties other than those which shall be directly related to the safety and security of occupants and visitors to such building while in and about the public portions thereof and no owner shall unreasonably hinder, interfere with, obstruct or prohibit the maintenance and operation of such service, provided that each attendant so engaged by tenants shall at all times when on duty be stationed at and remain in the entrance halls or public lobbies of the building adjacent to the main entrance thereto, and provided further that no owner of such building shall be in any manner liable or responsible for any injury to any such attendant or for any damage or injury arising out of or resulting from any act or omission of any such attendant or for the payment of any wages or other compensation to such attendants. The lobby attendants furnished, operated or maintained by tenants pursuant to this section may consist of or include tenants or other occupants of the multiple dwelling and may include either volunteer or paid personnel or a combination thereof. 2. Any agent, owner or other person who shall unreasonably interfere, hinder, obstruct or prohibit the installation, maintenance and operation of any such lobby attendant or shall unreasonably hinder or interfere with the performance of the duties of such lobby attendant engaged pursuant to this section, shall be guilty of a violation with a maximum fine not to exceed fifty dollars.
N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 50-C establishes that tenants living in Class A multiple dwellings with eight or more apartments have the right to organize and run their own lobby attendant service during any period when the building owner has not provided an attendant. The attendants—who may be tenants, other occupants, volunteers, paid staff, or a mix—must remain stationed near the main entrance and limit their activities strictly to the safety and security of occupants and visitors in common areas. Owners bear no legal or financial responsibility for these tenant-organized attendants, but they are prohibited from unreasonably blocking or interfering with the service; doing so constitutes a violation subject to a fine of up to fifty dollars.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 50-C, compliant operators of qualifying Class A buildings generally refrain from taking any action that would unreasonably block, hinder, or obstruct a tenant-organized lobby attendant service when no owner-provided attendant is on duty. Because the statute explicitly shields owners from liability for wages, injuries, or acts of tenant-engaged attendants, operators typically document that distinction clearly in their building records. Owners who unreasonably interfere with such a service risk being found in violation of § 50-C and subject to the associated fine.
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 § 50-C gives tenants in eligible Class A buildings the right to collectively establish a lobby attendant service—using volunteers, paid personnel, or fellow residents—whenever the owner has not staffed the lobby. If an owner or their agent unreasonably blocks or disrupts that service, § 50-C identifies that conduct as a punishable violation, which tenants may raise as a basis for a complaint or as a defense in a related proceeding. Tenants who believe their rights under this section are being violated may consider reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization or housing agency to understand the enforcement options available to them.
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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