Illegal Boarding Houses—Know Your Rights!

What is illegal housing? (sometimes called 3/4 housing or transitional housing)

A 3/4 house is typically a 1 or 2-family home which houses more than one person per room, usually by packing individual rooms with bunk beds.
These houses offer no secure place to lock up personal belongings, often have poor living conditions, unsafe overcrowding, and in many cases do not provide a valid lease.
Very often, 3/4 houses do not provide any social services even though they may house individuals with substance abuse and/or mental health problems.
Read our report on 3/4 house conditions: Warehousing the Homeless
See the following news articles for more information: NY1: Brooklyn Man Exposes Illegal Shelter; NY1: Illegal Shelters Follow Up

3/4 houses are notorious for violating occupancy codes and failing to comply with fire safety regulations.
Dozens of 3/4 houses have been ordered vacated by the City over the past few years for severe fire safety and housing code violations.
In November 2009, a 3/4 house fire resulted in the death of one man.
Dozens of shelter residents who have been moved to 3/4 houses have been forced to return to shelter.

You cannot be forced/coerced/or threatened to accept a placement in a 3/4 house.
You cannot be kicked out of shelter for refusing to accept a 3/4 house.
If you are offered a 3/4 house placement: (1) Go see it. (2) Document what you see and get the address. (3) If it is unsuitable or unsafe, you have a right to refuse it.

If you need help refusing a 3/4 house placement, come to our Crisis Intervention Program

To report a 3/4 house address, please call Giselle Routhier at 212-776-2005