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State Housing Law Program

Accessibility Standards for Multistory Dwellings in Covered Multifamily Buildings

Chapter 642 Statutes of 2003, (Senate Bill 1025) amended the California Government Code by revising the definition of discrimination to include the failure to design and construct ten percent of multistory dwelling units in covered multifamily apartments and condominiums, without elevators, include an accessible route on the primary entry level; an accessible powder room or bathroom on the primary entry level; an accessible route serving all rooms or spaces on the primary entry level; and accessible common and public use area. The bill included an effective date of July 1, 2005 for these amendments.

To implement and make specific these new provisions, the Department proposed the adoption of emergency building standards to the California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) on May 18, 2005. The CBSC agreed with the Department‘s statement of emergency and approved the regulations on an emergency basis with an effective date of July 1, 2005 to coincide with the effective date established in law. These emergency building standards will be in effect from July 1, 2005 through October 28, 2005. During that time, a formal rulemaking will be conducted to make these amendments permanent. The rulemaking will include a full 45-day comment period in which the public will be invited to comment on these building standards.

Notice of Proposed Action and Public Comment Period (Adobe PDF)

SB 1025 – Finding of Emergency (Adobe PDF)

SB 1025 – Express Terms (Adobe PDF)

SB 1025 - Nine-Point Criteria Analysis (Adobe PDF)

SB 1025 – Initial Statement of Reasons (Adobe PDF)