Section 27-2084. Occupancy of cellars and basements in converted dwellings

a.  Except as provided in 27-2082 of this article, no dwelling  unit  in
  the  cellar  of a converted dwelling may be occupied for living purposes
  unless:
    (1) The yard adjoining such dwelling unit;  has  a  minimum  depth  of
  thirty  feet  or more at every point; is open and unobstructed except as
  permitted by subdivision nine of  section  twenty-six  of  the  multiple
  dwelling law; and abuts the exterior wall of such dwelling at a level no
  higher than the floor of any room contained in the dwelling unit; and
    (2) The department determines that the dwelling unit is habitable.
    Such  a  cellar  shall  be  deemed  a  basement for the purpose of all
  requirements of the multiple dwelling law and of this code.
    b. Except as provided in section 27-2082 of this article, no  dwelling
  unit in the basement of a converted dwelling may be occupied unless:
    (1)  Every  living  room  has  a minimum height of seven feet in every
  part; and
    (2) Every living room has at least one window which complies with  the
  provisions  of  subdivision  b of section 27-2059 of article one of this
  subchapter, except that the top of  at  least  one  window  shall  be  a
  minimum of six feet above the floor, or if the room does not comply with
  the  foregoing  provisions  of  this paragraph two, it complies with the
  provisions of subdivision c of section 27-2059 of article  one  of  this
  subchapter.
    c.  The  basement  of  a  dwelling  converted  in  accordance with the
  provisions of subdivision four of section one hundred  seventy-seven  of
  the  multiple  dwelling  law  may  be  occupied  only if the dwelling is
  classified and recorded in the department as such a  converted  dwelling
  prior to January first, nineteen hundred sixty-six.