Fair Housing

Which projects have to comply?

The Federal Fair Housing Act covers newly constructed multi-family housing projects that are first time occupancy residential. The projects must also have more than four dwelling units. In an a building with elevators, ALL dwelling units must comply with the guidelines. In a building without an elevator, only the first floor units must comply. If the building is only two story units, then none of them must comply.

In addition to the Fair Housing Act, some municipalities have also adopted the ANSI A117.1 for their residential dwelling units. These dictate that a certain percentage must be built as with mobility features (for the mobility impaired) and a percentage with communication features (for the hearing and visually impaired)

Seven Requirements

The Fair Housing Act Guidelines have seven requirements for the covered residential dwelling units. Here is the definitions. This newsletter will just give an overview and will not describe all the details for each requirement. We will plan to explain in more detail in future newsletters:

REQUIREMENT 1

Accessible Building Entrance on an Accessible Route:

Covered multifamily dwellings must have at least one building entrance on an accessible route, unless it is impractical to do so because of terrain or unusual characteristics of the site. For all such dwellings with a building entrance on an accessible route the following six requirements apply.

REQUIREMENT 2

Accessible and Usable Public and Common Use Areas:

REQUIREMENT 3

Usable Doors:

All doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises must be sufficiently
wide to allow passage by persons in wheelchairs.

REQUIREMENT 4

Accessible Route Into and Through the Covered Dwelling Unit:

REQUIREMENT 5

Light Switches, Electrical Outlets, Thermostats and Other Environmental
Controls in Accessible Locations:

All premises within the dwelling units must contain light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls in accessible locations.

REQUIREMENT 6

Reinforced Walls for Grab Bars:

All premises within dwelling units must contain reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars around toilet, tub, shower stall and shower seat, where such facilities are provided.

REQUIREMENT 7

Usable Kitchens and Bathrooms:

Dwelling units must contain usable kitchens and bathrooms such that an individual who uses a wheelchair can maneuver about the space.

Inspector’s Corner

Requirement 1 of the Fair Housing Act states that an accessible entrance is required to the dwelling units. This photo shows three steps up to the stoop which leads to the entrance, and no ramp or lift to get them to the stoop. This unit does not meet the requirement.

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