§ 25-51 Conduct and Maintenance of Lodging Houses.
RCNY § 25-51
(a)Lodging house, defined. As used in these rules, the term lodging house shall mean any house or building or portion thereof, in which persons are harbored, or received, or lodged, for hire for a single night, or for less than a week at one time, or any party of which is let for any person to sleep in, for any term less than a week. The term lodging house shall not be deemed to include a Class A multiple dwelling used or let for single room occupancy.
(b)Permits required. It shall be unlawful to conduct, maintain or operate a lodging house containing rooms in which there are more than three beds for the use of lodgers, or in which more than six persons are allowed to sleep unless a permit therefor has been issued by the Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development.
(c)Procedure for obtaining a permit.
(1)Information to be given in application. Each application for a permit shall file with the Department of Housing Preservation and Development in duplicate, a written application, dated, signed by himself, and correctly setting forth: (i) The full name and address of the proprietor of the lodging house and of the owner of the premises.
(ii)The location of the lodging house.
(iii)The portions of the building intended to be used as a lodging house.
(2)Certificate from the Fire Department. The applicant shall procure from the Fire Department of the City of New York a certificate to the effect that the premises for which a permit is desired complies with all laws, rules and regulations enforceable by the Fire Department.
(d)Conduct, maintenance and operation of lodging houses.
(3)Numbers of lodgers permitted.
(i)No keeper of a lodging house shall receive lodgers therein without displaying continuously and conspicuously in each room a card issued for such room by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development setting forth the maximum number of lodgers permitted to be accommodated in such room, and also a copy of these rules and regulations.
(4)Ventilation.
(iv)All beds shall be so arranged that the air shall circulate freely under each of them.
(v)In the ease of all lodging houses for which permits are for the first time applied for after the year 1919, no beds or bunks shall be placed one above another.
(5)Airing, etc.
(6)Beds and bedding.
(7)Waterclosets.
(vi)In every lodging house for which a permit shall be first applied for after February 1st, 1911, there shall be provided at least one washroom on each floor.
(vii)In every lodging house there shall be provided washrooms with running water, set wash basins or other individual washing appliances satisfactory in character to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Such individual appliances shall be provided in proportion to the number of beds in the lodging house as follows: One such appliance for every ten beds or fraction thereof.
(8)Baths.
(9)Water and towels. An adequate supply of water and clean individual towels shall be provided. The use of common towel is prohibited.
(10)Floors and walls of waterclosets, etc. In every lodging house the floors of all waterclosets, washrooms and bathrooms, and the walls thereof to a height of at least four feet above the floor shall be constructed of such durable, waterproof material as may be approved by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development.
(11)Cleanliness and repair.
(12)Spitting and cuspidors.
(13)Method of sweeping regulated. Sweeping of any portions of such lodging houses shall be so performed as to avoid the raising of dust in the process. Dry sweeping prohibited.
(14)Illness. It shall be the duty of the keeper, agent, or owner of every lodging house to immediately report to the Department of Health the occurrence of any illness in such house.
(15)No Women or Children lodged. In no lodging house in which men are lodged shall any women or girl be lodged or any boy under the age of sixteen years, unless accompanied by his father or legal male guardian.
(e)Violations, revocation or suspension of permit. A violation of any of the foregoing rules and regulations shall constitute sufficient cause for the revocation or suspension of a permit by the Commissioner of Housing Preservation and Development.
