No person shall occupy or let to another for
occupancy any dwelling or dwelling unit, for the purpose of living
herein, which does not comply with the following requirements:
A.
Minimum floor space. Every dwelling unit shall contain
at least 150 square feet of floor space for the first occupant thereof
and at least 100 additional square feet of floor space for every additional
occupant thereof. The floor space shall be calculated on the basis
of total habitable room area.
B.
Floor space requirements in sleeping rooms. In every
dwelling unit of two or more rooms, every room occupied for sleeping
purposes by one occupant shall contain at least 70 square feet of
floor space and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more
than one occupant shall contain at least 50 square feet of floor space
for each occupant thereof, except that where the occupants of such
room are all less than 15 years of age, a room having at least 70
square feet of floor space may be occupied by additional persons,
provided that the floor space per occupant does not become less than
35 square feet.
C.
Location of sleeping rooms. No dwelling or dwelling
unit containing two or more sleeping rooms shall have such room arrangements
that access to a bathroom or water closet compartment intended for
use by occupants of more than one sleeping room can be had only by
going through another sleeping room; nor shall room arrangements be
such that access to a sleeping room can be had only by going through
another sleeping room or a bathroom or water closet compartment, except
that where such a dwelling is occupied only by a husband or wife or
a husband or wife and child or children under the age of 15, this
subsection shall not apply.
D.
Ceiling height. At least 1/2 of the floor area of
every habitable room shall have a ceiling height of at least seven
feet; and the floor area of that part of any room where the ceiling
height is less than five feet shall not be considered as part of the
floor area in computing the total floor area of the room for the purpose
of determining the maximum permissible occupancy thereof.
E.
Use of basement or cellar space for habitable room.
No basement or cellar space shall be used as a habitable room unless:
(1)
The floor and walls are impervious to leakage of underground
and surface water and are insulated against dampness.
(2)
The total of window area in each room is equal to at least the minimum window area sizes as required in § 166-17A.
(3)
Such required minimum window area is located entirely
above the grade of the ground adjoining such window area.
F.
Calculation. For the purpose of this chapter, each
person 15 years of age and older shall be counted as one person, children
more than one year old but less than 15 years old shall be deemed
to be 1/2 person and infants up to one year shall not be counted.
The floor area shall be based upon the area of habitable rooms contained
within the living unit, exclusive of utility and storage rooms, halls,
closets, porches and any connecting spaces. Any area in a habitable
room which has a ceiling height of less than five feet shall not be
counted or included in the computation of space.
