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Earlier this week, the NYC Department of Housing Preservation & Development and WXY architecture + urban design released ADU for You, an online platform to help New York City homeowners who wish to take advantage of City of Yes for Housing Opportunity's new rules for accessory dwelling units (ADUs) like backyard cottages or garage conversions on the same lot as a main house; such units will create more housing, allow New Yorkers to age in place, and offer the opportunity for homeowners to make extra income. ADU for You offers a tool for checking eligibility, budgeting and planning advice, and a series of pre-approved ADU designs ranging in size from 280 square feet to 785 square feet.
This comes at a time when posts about New York City’s tiny apartments continue to trend on social media. In typical tiny-apartment posts, a host enters an extremely small New York City apartment and draws attention to the apartment’s ridiculous constraints. As funny as it can be to watch other people span an apartment with their arms or squeeze into a bed hovering above a mini refrigerator, living in an extremely small space isn’t for everyone. This article clarifies what counts as a tiny or micro apartment in New York City and identifies key considerations for anyone thinking about renting or buying one.
In this article:
Preapproved ADU designs (NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development)
What is a tiny apartment?
There is no legal definition of a tiny apartment in New York City. However, legally, all newly constructed apartments must be at least 400 square feet. As a result, tiny or micro apartments are generally defined as units that are less than 400 square feet. Notably, because many New York City apartments under 400 square feet received a Certificate of Occupancy long before the current regulations went into effect, there are still plenty of legal tiny apartments across the city.
What is the difference between an SRO and a tiny apartment?
Single-room occupancy units (SROs) consist of a private room (of any size) with access to shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. In the past, most rooming or boarding houses were comprised of SROs. While some legal SROs still exist in New York City, legislation introduced in the 1950s restricted the construction of new SROs, and over the past 70 years, this form of housing has gone into decline, though this could soon change. There is currently a push to reintroduce SROs to tackle the city’s growing housing shortage.
While SROs don’t offer residents access to a private bathroom or cooking facilities, tiny apartments do. Indeed, despite their small size, they are self-contained, offering access to a private bathroom and kitchen or kitchenette, though these features are often minimal and oddly situated (e.g., the shower may be in the living/bedroom area).
328 East 73rd Street, #5B, a 500-square-foot apartment (Decode Real Estate) | https://www.cityrealty.com/nyc/lenox-hill/328-east-73rd-street/832/5B/DqhfUAFgiyAKT
Upsides to buying or renting a tiny apartment
Renting or buying a tiny apartment in New York City is generally attractive for one of two reasons: location, cost, or both. For example, Residence #1A at 86 Horatio Street in the West Village is only asking $500K. What the studio lacks in square footage, it makes up for with a great location and low monthly costs ($1,086/month in maintenance, which includes property taxes).
The Horatio Street studio is further distinguished by custom built-ins that make the most of every square foot, but it is not without constraints. While the kitchen includes a breakfast bar, the living/sleeping area is too small to allow for a large dining table. It goes without saying that if you love to cook and host dinner parties, this unit likely won’t meet your housing needs. But if you prefer to eat out, its address near some of the city’s best restaurants could make it the ideal home for you.
86 Horatio Street, #1A (Compass)
On the rental market, tiny apartments are also available and generally run between $1,500 and $2,000 in the outer boroughs and between $2,000 and $3,000 in most Manhattan neighborhoods south of 96th Street.
Will a tiny apartment have enough room for you and your furry friend? (The Van Gogh, #9A - Platinum Properties)
Considerations before renting or buying a tiny apartment
Whether you are looking to rent or buy, it is important to proceed with caution when it comes to tiny or micro units to ensure the unit is both legal and able to meet your housing needs.
Ensure it is legal
While older units under 400 square feet are often legal in New York City, if you’re thinking of renting or buying a tiny apartment, always check to ensure the unit has a valid Certificate of Occupancy. Notably, if every room, excluding the bathroom, isn’t at least 80 square feet, or the main room lacks proper ventilation (e.g., a legal window opening to the street, yard, or courtyard), it may not hold a valid CO.
While older units under 400 square feet are often legal in New York City, if you’re thinking of renting or buying a tiny apartment, always check to ensure the unit has a valid Certificate of Occupancy. Notably, if every room, excluding the bathroom, isn’t at least 80 square feet, or the main room lacks proper ventilation (e.g., a legal window opening to the street, yard, or courtyard), it may not hold a valid CO.
Consider your lifestyle priorities
If you’re a homebody, someone who works remotely, or someone who loves to cook at home or host guests, a tiny apartment is unlikely to meet your needs. If you’re generally out and do little more than shower and sleep at home, a tiny apartment may be all you need.
If you’re a homebody, someone who works remotely, or someone who loves to cook at home or host guests, a tiny apartment is unlikely to meet your needs. If you’re generally out and do little more than shower and sleep at home, a tiny apartment may be all you need.
Do an appliance audit
Tiny apartments rarely come with a full set of full-size appliances. If you’re the type of New Yorker who stores your shoes in the oven or usually only has a few bottles of water and a container of leftovers in the refrigerator, this may be fine. But if you’ve always dreamt of a “chef’s kitchen,” the limited access to appliances may be reason enough to pause plans to rent or buy a tiny apartment.
Tiny apartments rarely come with a full set of full-size appliances. If you’re the type of New Yorker who stores your shoes in the oven or usually only has a few bottles of water and a container of leftovers in the refrigerator, this may be fine. But if you’ve always dreamt of a “chef’s kitchen,” the limited access to appliances may be reason enough to pause plans to rent or buy a tiny apartment.
Assess your storage needs
Even if you can make the most of vertical space, storage will be limited in any tiny apartment. For anyone with a large wardrobe, excessive books, or bulky furniture, most tiny apartments are going to pose insurmountable challenges.
Even if you can make the most of vertical space, storage will be limited in any tiny apartment. For anyone with a large wardrobe, excessive books, or bulky furniture, most tiny apartments are going to pose insurmountable challenges.
Murphy bed can be folded away when not in use to save space. (The Ansonia, #6/135 - Douglas Elliman)
Consider the needs of pets, partners, and children
Tiny apartments tend to work best for single-person housing situations. While New York City has flexible rules about who can live in a unit, so long as the occupants are related, sharing a tiny apartment with a spouse, child, or even a large pet is rarely ideal.
Tiny apartments tend to work best for single-person housing situations. While New York City has flexible rules about who can live in a unit, so long as the occupants are related, sharing a tiny apartment with a spouse, child, or even a large pet is rarely ideal.
Calculate the potential return of investing in built-ins
Some small units feel spacious, but this is usually because the owner has invested in custom-designed, space-saving furniture (e.g., a Murphy bed with a built-in sofa or desk for daytime use) and vertical built-ins for storage. While built-ins can be a great investment for buyers, for renters, the cost of transforming a small space into a functional and attractive space may not prove viable nor represent a good long-term investment.
Before you rent or buy a tiny unit, assess the cost of making the space functional. When possible, contract with a designer who specializes in small spaces prior to making your decision.
Some small units feel spacious, but this is usually because the owner has invested in custom-designed, space-saving furniture (e.g., a Murphy bed with a built-in sofa or desk for daytime use) and vertical built-ins for storage. While built-ins can be a great investment for buyers, for renters, the cost of transforming a small space into a functional and attractive space may not prove viable nor represent a good long-term investment.
Before you rent or buy a tiny unit, assess the cost of making the space functional. When possible, contract with a designer who specializes in small spaces prior to making your decision.
New Yorkers have been squeezing into tiny apartments for over a century, and modern transformable furniture has made small spaces more livable and desirable. But as this article has emphasized, tiny apartments aren’t for every renter or buyer. Depending on your lifestyle, budget, family situation, and attachment to clothes, books, collectibles, and other items, a tiny apartment may or may not represent an ideal living situation.
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Tiny Apartments for Sale and Rent
Mason Gray, #102 (Triumph Property Group Ltd)
Brooklyner, #48B (Equity Residential)
Marmara, #7C (Rose Associates)
184 Thompson Street, #1F (Living New York)
293 Riverside Drive, #4B
$310,000 (-9.9%)
Riverside Dr./West End Ave. | Cooperative | Studio, 1 Bath | 305 ft2
293 Riverside Drive, #4B (Compass)
Lincoln Spencer Arms, #61B (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
Addison Hall, #412 (Corcoran Group)
Windsor Tower, #1429 (The Agency Brokerage)
10 Park Avenue, #14C (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
215 East 88th Street, #4A (Compass)
The Excelsior, #11A (Next Stop NY)
328 East 73rd Street, #5B (Decode Real Estate)
Riverview South, #15J (Brown Harris Stevens Residential Sales LLC)
The Omni, #4B (Compass)
Liberty Terrace, #10F (Corcoran Group)
161 West 76th Street, #3F (Corcoran Group)
Fulton Street Lofts, #3B (Compass)
The Broadway, #3N (Keller Williams NYC)
252 West 20th Street, #2B (Compass)
One Hanson Place, #9E (Compass)
The Museum 77, #3F (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
Greenwich Club, #3103 (Corcoran Group)
The Ansonia, #6/135 (Douglas Elliman Real Estate)
540West, #609N (Compass)
The Van Gogh, #9A (Platinum Properties)
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Just complete the info below.
Or call us at (212) 755-5544
Would you like to tour any of these properties?
Contributing Writer
Cait Etherington
Cait Etherington has over twenty years of experience working as a journalist and communications consultant. Her articles and reviews have been published in newspapers and magazines across the United States and internationally. An experienced financial writer, Cait is committed to exposing the human side of stories about contemporary business, banking and workplace relations. She also enjoys writing about trends, lifestyles and real estate in New York City where she lives with her family in a cozy apartment on the twentieth floor of a Manhattan high rise.
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