Cal. Civ. Code § 79

Heating

In Force
Verified 9/13/2026 · Next check 9/20/2026
effective 9/22/2014New YorkSpecific Conditions

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 79
  § 79. Heating. 1. Every multiple dwelling exceeding two stories in
height and erected after April eighteenth, nineteen hundred twenty-nine,
and every garden-type maisonette dwelling project erected after April
eighteenth, nineteen hundred fifty-four, shall be provided with heat. On
and after November first, nineteen hundred fifty-nine, every multiple
dwelling shall be provided with heat or the equipment or facilities
therefor.  During the months between October first and May thirty-first,
such heat and the equipment or facilities shall be sufficient to
maintain the minimum temperatures required by local law, ordinance, rule
or regulation, in all portions of the dwelling used or occupied for
living purposes provided, however, that such minimum temperatures shall
be as follows:  (a) sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit during the hours
between six o'clock in the morning and ten o'clock in the evening,
whenever the outdoor temperature falls below fifty-five degrees
Fahrenheit, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph a of subdivision
four of section three of this chapter, and (b) at least fifty-five
degrees Fahrenheit during the hours between ten o'clock in the evening
and six o'clock in the morning, whenever the outdoor temperature falls
below forty degrees Fahrenheit. Nothing in this section shall be deemed
to relieve any owner of the duty of providing centrally supplied or
other approved source of heat prior to November first, nineteen hundred
fifty-nine in any case where such heat is required by this chapter or
any other law, ordinance, rule or regulation to be supplied in a
dwelling prior to said date. The heating system in dwellings used for
single room occupancy shall be in conformity with the requirements of
section two hundred forty-eight.
  2. The provisions of subdivision one shall not apply to any dwelling
(a) which is located in a resort community and is rented or occupied on
a seasonal basis between April fifteenth and October fourteenth during
any calendar year and is not occupied for living purposes during the
remainder of such year, except that occupancy of any such dwelling by
the family of a caretaker thereof or by the family of the owner thereof
during the remainder of the year shall be permitted; or (b) which the
department of city planning certifies is in an area to be acquired for a
public improvement or for development or redevelopment and for which (1)
a request for acquisition has been submitted to the mayor by a public
agency or (2) a plan for a development or redevelopment project has
received preliminary or first approval of the city planning commission;
or (c) for which a demolition permit has been or shall be issued by the
municipality pursuant to local law or ordinance.
  3. The exemption provided in subdivisions two (b) and two (c) of this
section shall be valid for a period of six months after the date of the
approval of the slum clearance or urban renewal plan or the date of such
certification or the date of the issuance of the demolition permit, as
the case may be, but such exemption may be extended from time to time by
the department provided, however, that such exemption shall not extend
beyond November first, nineteen hundred sixty-one.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

New York Multiple Dwelling Law § 79 requires most multi-unit residential buildings to maintain minimum indoor temperatures during the heating season, which runs from October 1 through May 31. Specifically, living areas must reach at least 68°F between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. when outdoor temperatures drop below 55°F, and at least 55°F between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. when outdoor temperatures drop below 40°F. The law carves out limited exceptions for certain seasonal resort dwellings, properties slated for public acquisition or redevelopment, and buildings with active demolition permits, though those exemptions are subject to time limits and departmental approval.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on September 13, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 79, operators of covered multiple dwellings generally ensure that heating systems are capable of meeting the statute's daytime and nighttime temperature thresholds throughout the October 1–May 31 heating season. Compliant operators typically maintain records of heating system inspections and repairs, and respond promptly to reports of inadequate heat in occupied units. Buildings used for single room occupancy must also satisfy the additional requirements referenced in Section 248 of the same law, so operators of those properties generally confirm compliance with both provisions.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

N.Y. Mult. Dwell. Law § 79 establishes a legal floor for indoor temperatures in most New York multiple dwellings during the heating season, giving tenants a basis to raise inadequate heat as a concern with their landlord, a local housing or building department, or a rent-regulatory agency if one applies to their building. Tenants who believe their unit is not being heated to the required minimums may document conditions—such as noting outdoor temperatures and indoor readings with timestamps—as a general practice when pursuing a complaint. Tenant-rights organizations and local housing agencies can provide information about the complaint process and how § 79 may factor into housing court proceedings or rent-related claims.

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

Current
Sep 22, 2014
Click on timeline segments to view historical versions.

References Out

No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.

References In

No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.

Related Rules

§ 115
Interior water-closets and bathrooms
§ 116
Water-closets in certain class B multiple dwellings
§ 117
Employees' water-closets

Source Information

Snapshot SHA:
Fetched:Sep 13, 2026, 06:00 PM UTC