Title MRE, Multiple Residence

§ 257. Public stairs. 1. Every stair and fire-stair shall, except as otherwise provided in subdivisions three and four of this section and in section two hundred fifty-nine, be constructed as provided for fire-stairs in sections two hundred two and two hundred five for fireproof…

§ 258. Public halls. 1. Every public hall shall be everywhere at least three feet in clear width. 2. Except as herein provided, every public hall shall be completely enclosed with fireproof floor, ceiling and walls, and separated from every stair by fireproof partitions or walls…

§ 259. Cellar and basement stairs. A cellar or basement stair located inside the dwelling shall be entirely enclosed with fireproof walls and be provided, at all openings, with fireproof doors and assemblies, with the doors self-closing, except that in any dwelling three stories…

§ 26. Egress from dwellings. In every such dwelling three stories or more in height there shall be from each story at least two independent means of egress accessible to each apartment or suite. The first means shall open into a public hall connected with a stair affording safe …

§ 260. One and two-story frame dwellings; area limitation. A frame dwelling not exceeding two stories in height erected pursuant to plans filed after April first, nineteen hundred fifty-nine, and containing an area greater than three thousand square feet must, in addition to any…

§ 27. Fire-escapes. Wire, chain, cable, combustible, vertical ladder or rope fire-escapes shall not be accepted as a required or alternative means of egress and, unless such fire-escapes are supplemental to the means of egress required by section twenty-six, they shall be remove…

§ 28. Stairs and entrance halls. In every such dwelling three stories or more in height the wood wainscoting and other combustible materials on the wall and ceiling surfaces in all halls shall be removed and replaced with incombustible or other fire-resistive materials. In lieu …

§ 280. Water-closets and bathrooms. The requirements for water-closet compartments, bath and shower rooms shall be the same as provided in section two hundred fifteen for fireproof dwellings, except that each required water-closet compartment, bath or shower room in an apartment…

§ 29. Dumbwaiter shafts. In every such dwelling three stories or more in height the doors of all dumbwaiter shafts shall be made self-closing and be covered on the shaft side with fire-resistive material.

§ 3. Application to certain municipalities. 1. This chapter shall apply to all cities of less than three hundred twenty-five thousand population and to all towns and villages. 2. Whenever the word "municipality" occurs in this chapter, it shall mean a city, town or village to wh…

§ 30. Cellar ceilings. In every such dwelling three stories or more in height the ceiling of the cellar, or of the lowest story if there be no cellar, shall be fire-retarded, or be equipped with a sprinkler system, unless such ceiling has already been plastered to the satisfacti…

§ 300. Registry of owner. On or before July first, nineteen hundred fifty-four, every owner of a multiple dwelling shall file with the department a statement, in duplicate, on a form to be prepared by the department substantially as follows: Owner of record: ....................…

§ 301. Permits. 1. It shall be unlawful to commence the construction or alteration of a multiple dwelling or any part or section thereof, or of any building or structure on the same lot with such a dwelling, or the alteration or conversion of a building for use as a multiple dwe…

§ 302. Certificate of occupancy. 1. No multiple dwelling shall be occupied in whole or in part until the issuance of a certificate by the department that said dwelling conforms in all respects to the requirements of this chapter, except that no such certificate shall be required…

§ 302-a. Unlawful occupation. 1. If any dwelling or structure be occupied in whole or in part for human habitation in violation of section three hundred two of this article, no rent shall be recovered by the owner of such premises for said period, and no action for possession of…

§ 303. Enforcement. 1. The provisions of this chapter shall be enforced within each municipality by a person or department charged with such duty as provided in this section, provided, however, that in the case of a town such person or department shall have power and jurisdictio…

§ 304. Penalties for violations. 1. Any person, who having been served with a notice or order to remove any violation of this chapter or of any nuisance, fails to comply therewith within thirty days or within such further reasonable time therefore fixed by the department, shall …

§ 305. Nuisances. 1. The term nuisance shall be held to embrace whatever is dangerous to human life or detrimental to health and shall include but not be limited to: (a) a public nuisance as known at common law, statutory law and in equity jurisprudence, and (b) a dwelling that,…

§ 305-a. Abatement of rent in the case of serious violations. 1. The provisions of this section shall apply to all cities of less than five hundred thousand population and to all towns and villages. 2. a. A "rent impairing" violation within the meaning of this section shall desi…

§ 305-c. Right of tenant to offset payments for heat failure; certain\ncases. 1. Any tenant acting alone or together with other tenants of a\nmultiple dwelling employing an oil fired heating device for which the\nowner is responsible and wherein there exists a lack of heat due t…

§ 306. Service of notices and orders. Every notice or order issued by the department relative to a premises shall be served at least thirty days before the time for compliance therewith. It shall be sufficient service of a departmental notice or order, if it is posted in a consp…

§ 307. Records and searches. All records of the department shall be public. Upon request the department shall be required to make a search and issue a certificate of any of its records, including violations, and shall have the power to charge and collect reasonable fees for sear…

§ 31. Inside cellar stairs. Every stair leading from a cellar to the floor above in all old multiple dwellings shall be enclosed with fire-retarded partitions and shall be equipped with a fire-retarded self-closing door located as the department may approve.

§ 32. Artificial lighting. The owner shall provide a light or lights in every public hall, stair and fire-stair on every floor so that every such space shall be lighted adequately.

§ 325. Review boards. 1. There may be in each county a review board, to consist of three members, who shall be appointed by the board of supervisors of the county. One member shall be a registered architect or a professional engineer. The term of office of each member of such a …

§ 326. Rules and regulations. 1. The commission shall have the power to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations carrying into effect such provisions of the sections of this chapter wherein reference is made to the rules and regulations of or to be adopted by the commission, a…

§ 327. Saving clauses. The provisions of this chapter shall supersede any local law, ordinance, resolution or regulation of municipalities to which this chapter is applicable, but shall not affect or impair any act done, offense committed or right accruing, accrued or acquired, …

§ 328. Effect of invalidity in part. If any term, part, provision, article, section, subdivision or paragraph of this chapter shall be held unconstitutional, or ineffective in whole or in part, then to the extent that it is not unconstitutional or ineffective this chapter and su…

§ 329. Laws superseded. 1. The provisions of this chapter shall supersede all other state laws and all local laws, ordinances and regulations of municipalities to the extent that such laws, ordinances or regulations are inconsistent with the provisions of this chapter; provided,…

§ 330. Time of taking effect. This chapter shall take effect July first, nineteen hundred fifty-two.

§ 4. Definitions. Words and terms used in this chapter shall have the following meanings: 1. "Alteration." Any change in the structural parts or existing facilities of any building or the moving of any building from one location or position to another. 2. "Apartment," or "suite.…

§ 40. Repairs and cleanliness. All old multiple dwellings shall be maintained in conformity with the provisions of section one hundred seventy-four.

§ 41. Water supply. Every such dwelling shall be provided with an adequate supply of water obtained from the public water system or from a source approved by the public health officer having jurisdiction.

§ 42. Water closet and bath accommodations. Every water closet or bathroom installed in such dwellings on or after July first, nineteen hundred fifty-two, and in dwellings converted on or after such date, shall be in conformity with the provisions of section one hundred seventy-…

§ 43. Plumbing and drainage. Every such dwelling shall be provided with facilities for the disposal of sewage, waterborne waste, and excreta, and such facilities shall be connected with the public sewers, if available and practicable; otherwise, such waste matter shall be dispos…

§ 50. Application of article four. 1. As used in this article, the term "transient dwellings" shall mean and include hotels, lodging houses, boarding and nursery schools, sorority houses, fraternity houses, college and school dormitories, convalescent, old age and nursing homes,…

§ 52. Public halls and stairs. The walls and ceiling of every entrance hall, stair hall or other public hall, every hall or passage not within an apartment or suite of rooms, every dumbwaiter, elevator, and, every other shaft, including stairs, connecting more than two successiv…

§ 53. Storage compartments. There shall be one or more completely enclosed compartments for the storage of mattresses, furniture, paints, floor wax, linens, brooms, mops and other such inflammable or combustible paraphernalia incidental to the occupancy and maintenance of the dw…

§ 54. Kitchens and pantries. All kitchens and pantries serving restaurants or dining rooms in a non-fireproof transient dwelling shall be equipped with an automatic sprinkler system or a fire-detecting system. Where such kitchens and pantries are located at least thirty feet dis…

§ 55. Egress. 1. In every transient dwelling to which this article is applicable there shall be from each story at least two independent means of egress accessible to each room, apartment or suite, except as otherwise provided in section sixty-three with respect to two story tra…

§ 56. Exit and directional signs. Every means of egress shall be indicated by a sign reading "EXIT" in red letters at least eight inches high on a white background, or vice versa, illuminated at all times during the day and night by a red light of at least twenty-five watts or e…

§ 56-a. Posting of means of egress in hotels and motels. On each floor of every hotel or motel having two or more stories where the rooms or suites are connected by an interior hallway there shall be posted by each stairway, elevator or other means of egress a printed scale floo…

§ 57. Vertical and horizontal openings. In order to prevent the vertical and horizontal spread of fire, smoke and gases, it shall, in addition to other applicable provisions of this article, be necessary to comply with the requirements of this section. 1. All doors opening from …

§ 58. Cellar ceiling. The ceiling of the cellar shall be fire-retarded or be equipped with a sprinkler system, or the entire cellar shall be equipped with a fire-detecting system. Any room within the dwelling in which a boiler or furnace is used for generating heat or hot water …

§ 59. Ventilation for shafts. 1. There shall be provided in the roof directly over each stair, fire-stair, dumbwaiter, elevator or similar shaft which extends to or within one story of a roof, a ventilating metal skylight of the cross-sectional area of such shaft. Such skylight …

§ 60. Bulkheads and scuttles. 1. There shall be a fire-resistive bulkhead in the roof over, or connecting directly by means of a public hall with the highest portion of every stair extending to the highest story below the main roof. Stairs leading to such bulkheads shall be fire…

§ 61. Fire alarm system; watchman. 1. Except as provided in subdivision three, in every transient dwelling containing thirty or more sleeping rooms for transient occupancy, there shall be an interior fire alarm system. 2. Except as provided in subdivision three, in every firepro…

§ 62. Miscellaneous provisions. 1. An existing sprinkler installation, fire alarm, watchman's clock or fire-detecting system which has been approved or accepted by the department having jurisdiction and installed before July first, nineteen hundred fifty-two, in conformity with …

§ 63. Two story transient dwellings. 1. All nursing and convalescent homes, homes for the aged, and boarding and nursery schools, two stories in height, shall conform with all of the provisions of article four. 2. Except as provided in subdivision one of this section, the only p…

§ 64. One story transient dwellings. The only provisions of article four which shall apply to one story transient dwellings in existence on July first, nineteen hundred fifty-two, shall be sections sixty, sixty-one, sixty-five and title two.