Basement and cellar apartments are one of the most common ways that small homes in New York City contain an additional unit. They fit within the same space generally occupied by other small homes, and meet a wide range of housing needs:
- They provide owners with income and renters with smaller and more affordable places to live
- They can help elderly residents age in place, or young people setting out on their own
- They allow multigenerational families to live under one roof, and efficient independent units for single adults
Some subgrade apartments are lawful and have existed for many years. But for thousands of others, zoning and code reforms are needed (Read: 2024 BASE Council Actions) to bring them out of the shadows and give both owners and residents security and legal protection.
Visit the street below to see how basement and cellar apartments can meet a wide range of housing needs within the fabric of a low-density neighborhood.
Visualizations created by Kate Leitch, Senior Policy Analyst, with support from Gans & Company
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