N.Y. Laws » CHAPTER Multiple Dwelling / ARTICLE Legalization of Interim Multiple Dwellings
New York Consolidated Laws

N.Y. Multiple Dwelling Law § 281 (2026)

Definition of "interim multiple dwelling"

✓ current as of May 2026
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§ 281. Definition of "interim multiple dwelling". 1. Except as
provided in subdivision two of this section, the term "interim multiple
dwelling" means any building or structure or portion thereof located in
a city of more than one million persons which (i) at any time was
occupied for manufacturing, commercial, or warehouse purposes; and (ii)
lacks a certificate of compliance or occupancy pursuant to section three
hundred one of this chapter; and (iii) on December first, nineteen
hundred eighty-one was occupied for residential purposes since April
first, nineteen hundred eighty as the residence or home of any three or
more families living independently of one another.
  2. Notwithstanding the definition set forth in subdivision one of this
section, the term "interim multiple dwelling" includes only (i)
buildings, structures or portions thereof located in a geographical area
in which the local zoning resolution permits residential use as of
right, or by minor modification or administrative certification of a
local planning agency, (ii) buildings or structures which are not owned
by a municipality, (iii) buildings, structures or portions thereof
within an area designated by the local zoning resolution as a study area
for possible rezoning to permit residential use, or (iv) buildings,
structures or portions thereof which may be converted to residential use
pursuant to a special permit granted by a local planning agency. In the
case of classes of buildings specified by paragraphs (iii) and (iv) of
this subdivision and those buildings specified by paragraph (i) of this
subdivision which require a minor modification or administrative
certification, however, the provisions of subdivision one of section two
hundred eighty-four of this article regarding compliance with this
chapter shall not be applicable, but the other provisions of this
article shall be applicable. Upon rezoning of any such study area or the
granting of any such special permit, minor modification or
administrative certification to permit residential use of any such
building or portion thereof, subdivision one of section two hundred
eighty-four of this article shall be applicable, with the timing of
compliance requirements set forth in such section commencing to run upon
the effective date of such rezoning or permit approval. If such rezoning
does not permit residential use of the building or a portion thereof, or
if a special permit, minor modification or administrative certification
is denied, such building shall be exempt from this article.
  3. In addition to the residents of an interim multiple dwelling,
residential occupants in units first occupied after April first,
nineteen hundred eighty and prior to April first, nineteen hundred
eighty-one shall be qualified for protection pursuant to this article,
provided that the building or any portion thereof otherwise qualifies as
an interim multiple dwelling, and the tenants are eligible under the
local zoning resolution for such occupancy. A reduction in the number of
occupied residential units in a building after December first, nineteen
hundred eighty-one shall not eliminate the protections of this article
for any remaining residential occupants qualified for such protections.
Non-residential space in a building as of the effective date of the act
which added this article shall be offered for residential use only after
the obtaining of a residential certificate of occupancy for such space,
and such space shall be exempt from this article, even if a portion of
such building may be an interim multiple dwelling.
  4. Interim multiple dwellings shall also include buildings, structures
or portions thereof that had residential occupants on May first,
nineteen hundred eighty-seven in units occupied residentially since
December first, nineteen hundred eighty-one that were occupied for
residential purposes since April first, nineteen hundred eighty and
those units shall be qualified for protection pursuant to this article,
provided that the building or any portion thereof meets the requirements
set out in subdivision one of this section, regardless of whether the
buildings, structures or portions thereof meets the requirements set out
in paragraphs (i), (iii) and (iv) of subdivision two of this section.
  5. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (i), (iii) and
(iv) of subdivision two of this section, but subject to paragraphs (i)
and (ii) of subdivision one of this section and paragraph (ii) of
subdivision two of this section, the term "interim multiple dwelling"
shall include buildings, structures or portions thereof that are located
in a city of more than one million persons which were occupied for
residential purposes as the residence or home of any three or more
families living independently from one another for a period of twelve
consecutive months during the period commencing January first, two
thousand eight, and ending December thirty-first, two thousand nine,
provided that the unit seeking coverage: is not located in a cellar and
has at least one entrance that does not require passage through another
residential unit to obtain access to the unit, and is at least four
hundred square feet in area.
  (b) The term "interim multiple dwelling" as used in this subdivision
shall not include (i) any building in an industrial business zone
established pursuant to chapter six-D of title twenty-two of the
administrative code of the city of New York except that a building in
the Williamsburg/Greenpoint or North Brooklyn industrial business zones
(other than a building within such North Brooklyn business zone that is
in a district zoned M3, as such district is described in the zoning
resolution of such municipality in effect at the time the application
for registration as an interim multiple dwelling or for coverage of
residential units under this article is filed) and a building located in
that portion of the Long Island city industrial business zone that has
frontage on either side of forty-seventh avenue or is located north of
forty-seventh avenue and south of Skillman avenue or in that portion of
the Long Island city industrial business zone that is located north of
forty-fourth drive, south of Queens plaza north, and west of
twenty-third street may be included in the term "interim multiple
dwelling," or (ii) units in any building, other than a building that is
already defined as an "interim multiple dwelling" pursuant to
subdivision one, two, three or four of this section, that, at the time
this subdivision shall take effect and continuing until the time of the
submission of an application for coverage by any party, also contains a
use in legal operation, actively and currently pursued, which use is set
forth in use group eighteen, as described in the zoning resolution of
such municipality in effect on June twenty-first, two thousand ten, and
which the loft board has determined in rules and regulation is
inherently incompatible with residential use in the same building by
creating an actual risk of harm which cannot be reasonably mitigated,
provided that the loft board may by rule exempt categories of units or
buildings from such use incompatibility determinations including but not
limited to residentially occupied units or subcategories of such units,
and provided, further that if a building does not contain such active
uses at the time this subdivision takes effect, no subsequent use by the
owner of the building shall eliminate the protections of this section
for any residential occupants in the building already qualified for such
protections. A party opposing coverage pursuant to this subdivision
shall bear the burden of proving the exception to coverage set forth in
subparagraph (ii) of this paragraph.
  (c) The term "interim multiple dwelling," as used in this subdivision
shall also include buildings, structures or portions thereof that are
located north of West 24th Street and south of West 27th Street and west
of tenth avenue and east of eleventh avenue in a city of more than one
million persons which were occupied for residential purposes as the
residence or home of any two or more families living independently from
one another for a period of twelve consecutive months during the period
commencing January first, two thousand eight, and ending December
thirty-first, two thousand nine and subject to all the conditions and
limitations of this subdivision other than the number of units in the
building. A reduction in the number of occupied residential units in a
building after meeting the aforementioned twelve consecutive month
requirement shall not eliminate the protections of this section for any
remaining residential occupants qualified for such protections.
Non-residential space in a building as of the effective date of this
subdivision shall be offered for residential use only after the
obtaining of a residential certificate of occupancy for such space and
such space shall be exempt from this article, even if a portion of such
building may be an interim multiple dwelling.
  6. (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs (i), (iii) and
(iv) of subdivision two of this section, but subject to paragraphs (i)
and (ii) of subdivision one of this section and paragraph (ii) of
subdivision two of this section, the term "interim multiple dwelling"
shall include buildings, structures or portions thereof that are located
in a city of more than one million persons which were occupied for
residential purposes as the residence or home of any three or more
families living independently from one another for a period of twelve
consecutive months during the period commencing January first, two
thousand fifteen, and ending December thirty-first, two thousand
sixteen, provided that the unit seeking coverage: is not located in a
cellar and has at least one entrance that does not require passage
through another residential unit to obtain access to the unit, and is at
least four hundred square feet in area.
  (b) The term "interim multiple dwelling" as used in this subdivision
shall not include (i) any building in an industrial business zone
established pursuant to chapter six-D of title twenty-two of the
administrative code of the city of New York except that a building in
the Williamsburg/Greenpoint or North Brooklyn industrial business zones
other than a building within such North Brooklyn industrial business
zone that is in a district zoned M3, as such district is described in
the zoning resolution of such municipality in effect at the time the
application for registration as an interim multiple dwelling or for
coverage of residential units under this article is filed) and a
building located in that portion of the Long Island city industrial
business zone that has frontage on either side of forty-seventh avenue
or is located north of forty-seventh avenue and south of Skillman avenue
or in that portion of the Long Island city industrial business zone that
is located north of forty-fourth drive, south of Queens plaza north, and
west of twenty-third street may be included in the term "interim
multiple dwelling", or (ii) units in any building, other than a building
that is already defined as an "interim multiple dwelling" pursuant to
subdivision one, two, three, four or five of this section, that, at the
time this subdivision shall take effect and continuing until the time of
the submission of an application for coverage by any party, also
contains a use in legal operation, actively and currently pursued, which
use is set forth in use group eighteen, as described in the zoning
resolution of such municipality in effect on June twenty-first, two
thousand ten, and which the loft board has determined in rules and
regulation is inherently incompatible with residential use in the same
building by creating an actual risk of harm which cannot be reasonably
mitigated, provided that the loft board may by rule exempt categories of
units or buildings from such use incompatibility determinations
including but not limited to residentially occupied units or
subcategories of such units, and provided, further that if a building
does not contain such active uses at the time this subdivision takes
effect, no subsequent use by the owner of the building shall eliminate
the protections of this section for any residential occupants in the
building already qualified for such protections. A party opposing
coverage pursuant to this subdivision shall bear the burden of proving
the exception to coverage set forth in subparagraph (ii) of this
paragraph.
  (c) The term "interim multiple dwelling", as used in this subdivision
shall also include buildings, structures or portions thereof that are
located north of West 24th Street and south of West 27th Street and west
of tenth avenue and east of eleventh avenue in a city of more than one
million persons which were occupied for residential purposes as the
residence or home of any two or more families living independently from
one another for a period of twelve consecutive months during the period
commencing January first, two thousand fifteen, and ending December
thirty-first, two thousand sixteen and subject to all the conditions and
limitations of this subdivision other than the number of units in the
building. A reduction in the number of occupied residential units in a
building after meeting the aforementioned twelve consecutive month
requirement shall not eliminate the protections of this section for any
remaining residential occupants qualified for such protections.
Non-residential space in a building as of the effective date of this
subdivision shall be offered for residential use only after the
obtaining of a residential certificate of occupancy for such space and
such space shall be exempt from this article, even if a portion of such
building may be an interim multiple dwelling.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 58 cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1985–2022 · leading case: Ass'n of Com. Prop. Owners, Inc. v. New York City Loft Bd., 118 A.D.2d 312 (N.Y. App. Div. 1986).
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Ass'n of Com. Prop. Owners, Inc. v. New York City Loft Bd., 118 A.D.2d 312 (N.Y. App. Div. 1986). · cites it 8× “Multiple Dwelling Law § 284 requires the owner of each interim multiple dwelling to adhere to a timetable for obtaining a final residential certificate of occupancy.”
Blackgold Realty Corp. v. Milne, 119 A.D.2d 512 (N.Y. App. Div. 1986). · cites it 3× “Petitioner-appellant Blackgold Realty acquired title to the building and in November 1982, filed a registration statement to register the building with the Loft Board as an "interim *513 multiple dwelling” pursuant to Multiple Dwelling Law § 281. It then commenced summary…”
Anthony v. New York City Loft Bd., 122 A.D.2d 725 (N.Y. App. Div. 1986). · cites it 3× “To come within the protective scope of the Loft Law, it must be established, inter alia, that a structure or portion thereof, formerly used for commercial purposes, was, between April 1, 1980 and December 31, 1981 (the window period), occupied for residential purposes as the…”
Chazon, LLC v. Maugenest, 971 N.E.2d 852 (N.Y. 2012). “*414 The Loft Law defines the term “interim multiple dwelling” to mean, essentially, any of these illegally occupied buildings (Multiple Dwelling Law § 281). It establishes a series of deadlines by which the owners of interim multiple dwellings are required to alter them to…”
Caldwell v. Am. Package Co., 57 A.D.3d 15 (N.Y. App. Div. 2008). “The Loft Law applies, however, only to units that were occupied for residential purposes on April 1, 1980 (see Multiple Dwelling Law § 281 [1]). Since the unit at issue here was not so occupied at that time, the Loft Law does not resolve this controversy.”
Sheila Props., Inc. v. A Real Good Plumber, Inc., 59 A.D.3d 424 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009). “The Loft Law applies only to units that were occupied for residential purposes on April 1, 1980 (see Multiple Dwelling Law § 281 [1]). Since the unit at issue here was not so occupied at that time, the Loft Law may not serve as a basis for a defense as a matter of law (see…”
99 Com. Street, Inc. v. Llewellyn, 240 A.D.2d 481 (N.Y. App. Div. 1997). · cites it 2× “, is the owner of an "interim multiple dwelling” (Multiple Dwelling Law § 281). Owners of properties which are defined as interim multiple dwellings under the new Loft Law (Multiple Dwelling Law § 281) are afforded a sufficient amount of time in which to bring the property…”
Wolinsky v. Kee Yip Realty Corp., 812 N.E.2d 302 (N.Y. 2004). “The Loft Law therefore permits conversions of “Interim Multiple Dwellings,” which are defined as buildings or portions of buildings that were occupied at any time for manufacturing, commercial, or warehouse purposes and lack a residential certificate of occupancy (see Multiple…”
Ginezra Assocs. LLC v. Ifantopoulos, 70 A.D.3d 427 (N.Y. App. Div. 2010). “The building in question is an “interim multiple dwelling” under the Loft Law (Multiple Dwelling Law § 281). Pillsbury rents the second- and third-floor lofts, each of which is self-contained, each having a kitchen and bathroom, as well as separate entrances to the street.”
Acevedo v. Piano Bldg. LLC, 70 A.D.3d 124 (N.Y. App. Div. 2009). “The Loft Law permits conversion of IMDs, which are defined as any building once used for commercial, manufacturing, or warehouse purposes and that lacks a residential certifícate of occupancy (Multiple Dwelling Law § 281 [1]). The Loft Law is generally limited to buildings that,…”
47 Thames Realty, LLC v. Rusconie, 85 A.D.3d 853 (N.Y. App. Div. 2011). “Contrary to the plaintiffs contention, the record fails to establish that the subject building does not meet the definition of an “interim multiple dwelling” (see Multiple Dwelling Law § 281 [1], [5]). Mastro, J.”
Equities v. Weiss, 149 Misc. 2d 628 (N.Y. App. Term. 1991). “This constituted the requisite "administrative certification” for coverage under the Loft Law (Multiple Dwelling Law § 281 [2] [i]; see, 150 W.”
Show all 58 citing cases →
N.Y. Multiple Dwelling Law § 281(5): 1 case
Matter of A. Trenkmann Est., Inc. v. Tingling, 2019 NY Slip Op 3923 (N.Y. App. Div. 2019).
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