The Legislature enacted chapter 889 of the Laws of 1980 as an emergency measure. To afford the opportunity for a longer range adjustment between owners and tenants and subject to a minimum level of safety, this legislation created a moratorium on eviction until its expiration on June 30, 1981. (See McKinney’s Session Laws of NY, 1981, pp 2374-2375.) A more enduring enactment in chapter 349 of the Laws of 1982 (the Loft Law) did not become effective until June 21,1982. This affords protection to residents of so-called “interim multiple dwellings”. This term is defined, as pertinent hereto, as a building previously used for commercial or manufacturing purposes that was occupied since April 1, 1980 and on December 1, 1981 as the residences of three or more families. The building must be in an area that is zoned residential or, by minor modification or administrative certification, that will permit residential use. (Multiple Dwelling Law, § 281, subd 2.)