Section 27-2086. Occupancy of cellars and basements in old law tenements

a.
  No dwelling unit in the cellar of an old law tenement  may  be  occupied
  unless  it  complies with the requirements of sections 27-2082, 27-2083,
  27-2085 of this article or all of the following provisions:
    (1) Every room has a minimum height of eight feet in every part.
    (2) In every room of a dwelling unit  located  at  the  front  of  the
  dwelling,  every  part  of  the  ceiling is at least four feet above the
  surface of the street in front of every such part.
    (3) In a dwelling unit located in the rear, every room  has  at  least
  one-half  of  its  height  in  every  part above the highest level of an
  adjoining space which: Abuts every part of the  exterior  wall  of  such
  room;  has  a minimum dimension of thirty feet measured at a right angle
  to the outer surface of such wall; and is open and unobstructed,  except
  as  permitted  in subdivision nine of section twenty-six of the multiple
  dwelling law.
    (4) Every room has at least one window opening upon a street, yard  or
  the adjoining space required in paragraph three and at least one-half of
  every such window shall open.
    b.  No  dwelling  unit  in  the basement of an old law tenement may be
  occupied unless it complies with the requirements of  sections  27-2082,
  27-2083,  27-2085 of this article, subdivision a of this section, or all
  of the following provisions:
    (1) Every room has a minimum height of seven feet, six inches in every
  part.
    (2) Every room has at least one window opening upon a street,  a  yard
  with  a  minimum  depth of twelve feet or a court with dimensions of not
  less than six feet by twelve feet. Such room is a  part  of  a  dwelling
  unit containing at least one room with a window opening upon a street or
  such a yard.
    (3) At least one-half of a required window shall open.
    c.  A room in the basement of an old law tenement may be occupied by a
  family solely in conjunction with their occupancy of  the  entire  story
  above, if such room has a minimum height of seven feet in every part and
  is not occupied for sleeping purposes.