RERC on Universal Design at Buffalo
School of Architecture and Planning--University at Buffalo
Updated January 2008
EXISTING CITY LAWS & PROGRAMS Date Location County Types of Homes Subsidized / Unsubsidized Mandatory / Voluntary Number of Homes Built Link to Ordinance Enforcement Contact Information ARCHITECTURAL REQUIREMENTS Entrance to Home Interior doors & Accessible Route Bathrooms Light switches, thermostat, electrical outlets, electrical panel, etc./Added Features /Comments
1992 Atlanta, GA City of Atlanta Single family homes Any federal, state, or city financial benefits dispersed through the City Mandatory 700-1000 http://www.concretechange.org/Atlanta.htm Bureau of Buildings 404.330.6150    bobinformation@atlantaga.gov  At least one no-step entrance on accessible route; minimum opening 32 inches All interior doors, minimum 32 inch opening and lever handles.  36 inch wide level route provided through main floor of unit Bathroom walls reinforced Maximum 48 inch height, minimum 15 inch height.    Oldest ordinance that requires minimal accessible features; used to help the state of Georgia construct the state accessibility statute.
1997 Freehold Borough, NJ Monmouth County Public and Private dwellings   Voluntary/Incentive               Waives construction permit fees for the addition or construction of accessibility features. The ordinance does not explicitly define what qualifies as accessibility features, but the city has shown a willingness to waive fees for commonly recognized features such as ramps. To date, however, the fee waivers have only been applied to rehabilitation of existing homes. The applicability of the ordinance to accessibility features offered in new homes has not been tested because Freehold Borough has very little new construction activity.
1998 Austin, TX Travis County New single family homes, duplexes, triplexes Subsidized (any public funds) Mandatory 2700 http://www.concretechange.org/austin.htm     At least one no-step entrance on accessible route; minimum opening 32 inches All interior doors on first floor, minimum 30 inches opening and lever handles.  36 inch wide level route provided through main floor of unit. First floor bathroom walls reinforced For first floor, max 42 inch height, minimum 15 inch height
1999 Irvine, CA  Orange County New single family homes   Voluntary               * Universal Design Program - Home builders can offer any combination of 33 features to prospective home buyers including all of the above. 
2000 Urbana, IL Champaign County New single family dwellings or 1 to 4 units, duplexes and triplexes Subsidized (city funds) Mandatory Approximately 24 homes http://www.concretechange.org/urbana.htm Building Safety Division Gordon Skinner   Building Safety Division Manager  400 S. Vine, Urbana, Il. 61801 (217) 384-2431 grskinner@city.urbana.il.us At least one no-step entrance on accessible route; minimum opening 32 inches All doors or openings minimum 32 inches.  Corridors shall be at least 36 inches wide. Bathroom walls reinforced Maximum 48 inch height, minimum 15 inch height.    Additional requirements for accessible route to the home regarding landing, non-slip surfaces, and slope; Handicapped Accessibility Retrofit Program (HARP) provides grants to help fund the elimination of barriers and the addition of accessibility modifications
2001 Visalia, CA  Tulare County New single family homes   Voluntary/Certificate Program         Zero-step entry, usually through the garage. A maximum of 1 inch threshold at this entrance. 32 inch minimum; lever handles Bathroom walls reinforced * Voluntary "Visitable Home Program" and Guidelines. Builders receive a "Certified Visit-Able logo"
2001 San Mateo County, CA San Mateo County     Consumer Awareness         At least one no-step entrance. (The location of the no-step entrance is not specific as long as the path of travel to the entrance is accessible.) A minimum width of 2’8” shall be provided for the no step entry doorway, hallway access to the bathroom and at the bathroom doorway.    Taskforce recently published 2 new brochures on accessible housing, one on Universal Design and one on Residential Visitability.
2001 Howard County, MD Howard County     Consumer Awareness               The mission of the Homes For Life Coalition of Howard County is to increase the number of new and renovated homes that are safe, convenient and welcoming to all residents of Howard County. Public education and awareness are the principal means used to accomplish their goal.
2001-2002 Albuquerque, NM Bernalillo County All new homes Subsidized and unsubsidized Consumer Awareness/ Voluntary               Community conversation on need for accessibility in affordable housing began in 2001.  Developed Universal Design "package", which includes 30 UD features. Builders and architects attending orientation and incorporating at least some of the features were included in a brochure.  Awards given at annual banquets for homes including UD features. Informational meetings still occur.
2002 San Antonio,TX Bexar County New single family homes, duplexes, triplexes Subsidized (city, state or federal funds) Mandatory 7000+ http://www.concretechange.org/sanantoniolink.htm     Zero-step entry 32 inch minimum Blocking in Bathroom walls  
2002 Onondaga County, NY Onondaga County New single family homes and duplexes Subsidized (county assistance) Voluntary          Zero-step entry 32 inch minimum on first floor.  Maneuvering clearance on 1st floor bathrooms and kitchen. Blocking in Bathroom walls Lowered controls
2002 Southampton, NY Suffolk County New one- and two- family detached housing   Voluntary/Incentive Based         One step-less entry 32 inch clearance on first-floor doors .  32 inch wide hallways   1/2 bath on first floor that is wheelchair maneuverable                                          A $300 credit is offered for building larger homes that have more expensive permit fees.  If builder or homeowner include home modifications to aid persons with impairments, building permits are fast-tracked.
2002 Naperville, IL Du Page County All new single family homes All homes (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) Mandatory         No Requirements Wider first floor interior doors Bathroom walls reinforced Electrical outlets and light switches that are reachable by someone in a wheelchair
2002 Pima County, AZ (Tucson) Pima County All new single family homes All homes (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) Mandatory 15,000 plus visitable homes built; 100 homes needed to be exempted from the zero step entrance because of site conditions or other considerations--less than one per cent. http://www.concretechange.org/pimacounty.htm   Bill and Collette Altaffer Zero-step entry 32 inch minimum for interior doors and 30 inch hallways. Grab bars Electrical outlets and light switches that are reachable by someone in a wheelchair.    Initial title "Visitability Code" changed to "Inclusive Home Design Ordinance" (See http://www.co.pima.az.us/cob/test/pdf/020502AG.PDF)
2002 Long Beach, CA Los Angeles County All single-family or duplex dwelling units  Subsidized (city funds) Mandatory         At least one no-step entrance on accessible route.  32 inch minimum for interior doors and corridors shall be at least 36 inches wide. Bathroom door opening shall provide a minimum of 32 inches nominal clear space. A 34 inch door is acceptable.  A clear space measuring 30 inch by 48 inch and grab bar backing Maximum 42 inch above the floor inside bathrooms
2002 Iowa City, IA Johnson County All dwelling units All subsidized Mandatory   http://www.concretechange.org/iowa_city.htm   Housing Authority City of Iowa City - 410 East Washington Street - Iowa City, IA 52240 319.356.5400

 Zero-step entry 32 inch minimum Bathroom walls reinforced  
2003 Syracuse, NY  Onondaga County New single family homes   Voluntary           Including but not limited to the utilization of 36 inch wide doors at entrances and throughout the first floor   * It makes referrals to ICC/ANSI standards and encourages development of homes built to meet these standards.  The
Visitability guideline in Syracuse does not require visitability, not because of state law, but because the County Council did not pass an ordinance - just a recommendation. 
2003 Bolingbrook, IL Will County All new single detached dwelling unit. All homes (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) Mandatory   http://www.concretechange.org/bolingbrook.htm     Zero-step entry 36 inches minimum for interior doors and 42 inch wide corridors. Blocking in bathrooms Half bath on main floor-- the city is rewriting its building code to require that 10 percent of single-family homes or townhouses in a planned development be visitable and 10 percent be adaptable. There is also 32 inch door clearence on the second floor.
2003 Escanaba, MI Delta County Property Owners All homes Voluntary/Consumer Incentive         No-step entry 32 inch clearance on first-floor doors  and an accessible route  Bathroom walls reinforced $150 rebate from the city to property owners who incorporate these features after a compliance inspection. The Visitability Ordinance, No. 1024
2003 Chicago, IL Cook County 20 percent single family homes and townhomes in planned developments must be "adaptable" or "visitable" All homes Mandatory               Visitable Homes: stair-free entrance, wide doors on first floor, usable bathroom and one room that can be used as bedroom. Adaptable Homes have a stair-free entrance, usable kitchens, bathrooms and wide door on all floors and a shaft or staircase in which a buyer can install a wheelchair lift.
2003 St. Louis County, MO St. Louis County Any homes built with county funds All homes: New construction and substantial rehabilitation Mandatory               County council strongly recommends that St. Louis County incorporate into its construction financing programs a requirement that UD principles and features be utilized in the planning, design and construction of residentail development projects that serve low and moderate income households.
2004 Houston, TX Harris County   Affordable housing Voluntary/Incentives to developers               ORDINANCE 2004-0024: appropriating $200,000.00 out of Low Income Housing Fund 162 and adopting Guidelines to establish a Voluntary Visitability Program to provide incentives to developers of Affordable Housing to Implement the Design Specifications of Ordinance No. 2003-1239 ($400/per home for affordable housing developers who voluntarily make their units wheelchair accessible)
2004 Pittsburgh, PA Allegheny County Pittsburgh Visitability Ordinance Newly constructed or substantially renovated single family dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, town houses and row houses Tax Incentive               Any structure hit with a property tax increase because of disabled-related building improvements will receive up to a $2500 tax credit over five years. The credit is only on city property taxes. 
2004 St. Petersburg, FL Pinellas County All new one to three units homes. Subsized (city funds) Mandatory 64 single-family home permits issued so far. (It is assumed that most, if not all, have been built).
10 additional plans have been submitted for review, but have not received permits yet.		     Kristen Mory
City of St. Petersburg, Community Affairs Department
175 Fifth Street North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
Phone: 727-892-5507; Fax: 727-892-5064
TDD/TTY: (727) 892-5259
www.stpete.org/commaff.htm		 At least one no-step entrance on an accessible route.  (The inclusion of a ramp shall not be required where grading is impractical or when a ramp is not acceptable to the applicant seeking financial assistance from the City.) 32 inch minimum; lever handle hardware is required on all swinging doors along the accessible route.  All hallways and passageways on the first floor of the dwelling unit shall be a minimum of 44 inches in width.   Bathroom on the first floor shall be designed to allow sufficient clear floor space for a rectangle measuring 30 inches wide by 48 inches long; reinforcement blocking of bathroom walls. Light switches, thermostats or electrical panels maximum 48 inches above the floor; electrical outlets shall be at least 15 inches above the floor. Any electrical panel located outside the dwelling unit shall be no higher than 42 inches above the ground, at least 18 inches above the ground and adjacent to an accessible route.
2005 Toledo, OH Lucas County All new one to three units homes. Subsized (any government funds) and built within the City of Toledo Mandatory   http://ci.toledo.oh.us/index.cfm?Article=1311     Provide at least one no step entrance. The required no step entrance shall be accessed via a visitable route. All doors and openings shall have a minumum net clear width of 32 inches.  All hallways and corridors on the main floor shall be at least 36 inches in width. Provide a bathroom or half bath on the main floor with clear floor space of 30 inches wide by 48 inches long. All walls in the required bathroom/half bath shall have reinforcing/backing in the walls to allow for future installation of grab bars. Wall electrical outlets on the main floor shall be mounted at least 15 inches above the finished floor. Light switches, thermostats and other control devices on the main floor shall be mounted no higher than 48 inches above the finished floor.
2005 Auburn, NY  Cayuga County All new one to three units homes. Subsized (city funds)--single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes which are constructed with public funds Mandatory         Applicable dwelling units shall be designed and constructed to have at least one building entrance on an accessible route served by a ramp or a slope, in compliance with American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards, with a maximum slope of 1:12, unless it is impractical due to characteristics of the terrain.  This entrance should have an accessible door in accordance with ANSI. Any entrance at the front, side or back of the dwelling is acceptable All dwelling units, whether or not on an accessible route, shall be designed in such a manner that the doors be sufficiently wide to allow passage into and within all premises by persons in wheelchairs.  Lever hardware is required.  An accessible route shall be designed and constructed in such manner that a 36” wide level route, except at doors, must be provided through the main floor of the unit with ramped or beveled changes at the thresholds. Usable first floor bathroom with wheelchair maneuvering clearances as set forth in ICC/ANSI A117.1 – 1998. Reinforcement in the walls be provided at designated locations as specified by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for future grab bar installation. All applicable dwelling units shall be designed and constructed in such a manner that all premises contain light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other controls in accessible locations, no higher than 48” and no lower than 16” from the floor.  Usable first floor kitchen with wheelchair maneuvering clearance as set forth by the International Code Council (ICC)/ANSI A117.1 – 1998.
2005 Prescott Valley, AZ Yavapai County     Voluntary         Exterior Route - provide for one exterior route that may originate from the carport, driveway, or sidewalk;  No-step Entry - provide a door entrance with a minimum width of 32 inches Main Pathway - provide a 36-inch wide pathway through ; the main floor of the house that provides for access to all Bathroom Wall Reinforcement - provide wall reinforcements to support future installation of grab bars adjacent to the tub and toilet.  
2005 Scranton, PA Lackawanna County All new one to three units homes. Subsized (city funds)--single-family homes, duplexes and triplexes which are constructed with public funds Mandatory         At least one building entrance must be accessible by ramp. Building entrances, interior doors and hallways must be a minumum of 32 inches wide. Bathroom walls are to be reinforced to accommodate grab bars,  Light switches, electrical outlets and thermostats must be within reach of wheelchairs.
2005 Arvada, CO Jefferson County 15% of all new dwelling units must be visitable or visitable adaptable; an additional 15% must include interior visitable features.   Mandatory         Visitable dwelling units shall be provided with a step-free or accessible entrance on an accessible route that complies with ANSI A117.1-1998, section 4.8, and that has a maximum slope not to exceed 1:12. The step-free or accessible entrance may be located on the front, side, or rear of the dwelling unit, or may be located through the garage. Adaptable units must be pre-engineered to easily accommodate a step-free or 1-step entrance. All interior doors on the accessible floor level of such dwelling units, except those serving closets, or serving pantries less than fifteen (15) square feet in area, within individual visitable dwelling units intended for user passage must provide a minimum net clear opening of thirty-two (32) inches when the door is open ninety degrees, as measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop.   All interior hallways on the accessible floor level of such dwelling units shall have a minimum width of not less than thirty-six (36) inches (914 mm), be level, and provide ramped or beveled changes at door thresholds. Levered hardware required. The accessible floor level of such dwelling units shall have a minimum of one (1) bathroom, which bathroom shall, at a minimum, contain a toilet and sink, and be designed and constructed so those with assistive devices can enter and close the door behind them. Walls of the visitable bathroom shall be provided with wood blocking installed flush within wall framing to support grab bars as set forth herein. The wood blocking shall be located between thirty-three (33) inches (839 mm) and thirty-six (36) inches (914 mm) above the finish floor. Height shall be determined by measuring from the finish floor to the center of the wood blocking. The wood blocking shall be located in all walls adjacent to a toilet, shower stall, or bathtub.  At least one model home within each qualifying residential development shall be built with a step-free building entrance and all interior visitability features. This model home shall be one of the floor plans identified as appropriate for placement on an identified lot within that development.  7-1206.2. Options list. Interior visitable features and all building entrance construction options, including a step-free entrance, shall be listed on the options list for qualifying residential developments.      Opt-out fee: $1,000 per unbuilt unit with interior visitable features; $2,500 per unbuilt visitable or adaptable unit; $10,000 for unbuilt visitable model home. Fee used to assist in making existing housing stock visitable. Requirements do not apply to custom homes as defined by ordinance.
2006 Pittsburgh, PA Allegheny County   Residential Visitability Tax Credit Act (Senate Bill 1158) Voluntary               The bill would authorize local governments, counties and school districts to offer a credit of up to $2,500 in real estate taxes to property owners who build or renovate their residences and include such accessibility features as zero-step entryways, wider door- and hallways, and entry-level restrooms. 
2006 Milwaukee, WI Milwaukee County New/Substantially rehabilitated multi-family Subsidized- Recipients of the City’s Housing Trust Fund Mandatory None yet due to recent passage of fund     Brian Peters [mailto:bpeters@independencefirst.org] Zero-step entrance to homes  Zero-step interior accessible route 32 inches wide  Usable first floor bathroom  
2007 Montgomery County, MD Montgomery County All new home building and renovation in single family attached and detached homes.   Voluntary         At least one entrance shall have a no step entry at the front door, back door, side door (any door), deck or through the garage on an accessible route. The accessible route shall extend from a vehicular drop off, or parking to a no step building entrance. Accessible routes shall consist of one or more of the following components: • Walking surfaces with a slope not steeper than 1:20. • Doorways, ramps, curb ramps, elevators, and wheelchair (platform) lifts. • Floor or ground surfaces shall be stable, firm, and slip resistant. Dwelling units with a building entrance on an accessible route shall be designed in such a manner that all the doorways designed to allow passage into and within all areas required to be accessible have a clear opening width of at least 32 inches when the door is open 90 degrees, measured between the face of the door and the stop. Openings more than 24 inches in depth are not considered doorways.  Dwelling units with a building entrance on an accessible route shall have a circulation path that is at least 36-inches wide. The circulation paths shall connect the accessible entrance to at least one powder room or bathroom, and one other room that can accommodate visitation. The powder room/bathroom on the circulation path shall be large enough to accommodate a clear space of 30 inches by 48 inches within the room to position a wheelchair or other mobility aid clear of the path of the door as it is closed. The Design for Life Program also includes guidelines for Live-Ability Homes. Level II — Live-Ability includes all items in Level I, but also requires a circulation path that connects the accessible entrance to at least one bedroom, full bath, and kitchen.
2007 Rockford, IL Winnebago County All new one to three units homes. Subsized (city funds)--in new residential structure(s) constructed with public funds or with financial assistance originating from or flowing through the City of Rockford Mandatory         There shall be at least one entrance (front, side, rear, or through the garage) which has no steps and is served by walks and/or ramps meeting the specifications of Section 6-104(B)(1). The required no step entrance shall be accessed via a “visitable” route that shall meet the following criteria. (1) Grade: Sidewalks and ramps that are part of a “visitable” route shall have the maximum slope of-- Ramp Type 1: between 1:8 and 1:10 for a maximum rise of 3 inches. Ramp Type 2: A slope between 1:10 and 1:12 for a maximum of rise of 6 inches. Ramp Type 3: A slope of 1:12 for a maximum rise of 30 inches. A landing shall be located at the top and bottom of any rise of 30 inches. (2) Width: The “visitable” route shall have a minimum width of 36 inches. (3) Landings: Landings in a “visitable” route shall be not less than 36 inches by 36 inches in size. All doors or openings (with the exception of closet and pantry doors) shall have a minimum net clear width of 32 inches.  Corridors shall be at least 36 inches in width. At least ˝ bath shall be required upon the same level as the no step which contains a toilet, bathtub, shower stall, or shower seat, shall have reinforcing in the walls to allow for future installation of grab bars around those fixtures. Wall electrical outlets, light switches, thermostats and other control devices shall be mounted between 15 inches and 48 inches above the finished floor.
2007 Davis, CA  Yolo County 100 percent of all new market rate and middle income single-family residential units shall be developed with visitability and all new single-family affordable residential units shall be developed with first floor accessibility (includes bedroom) Target of 100 percent visitability Voluntary (Facilitate inclusion of accessibility and visitability features to the greatest extent possible, including use of incentives)       Planning Commission and City Council have authority to issue waivers and/or modify the requirements (Housing Policy 1.41) One zero threshold at ground or primary floor of the unit; An accessible exterior path of travel to the zero threshold entry. An accessible interior path of travel within the unit on its ground or primary floor (wider hallways and doorways) An accessible half or full bath on the ground or primary floor (with the inclusion of grab bar backing reinforcements to facilitate easy grab bar installation) An accessible common room (does not include kitchen)   Exempt Projects: Projects consisting of fewer than 5 units; projects with net densities of 12.5 units/acre or greater; projects of 15 units or fewer that are developed within the Core Area.   Project to be evaluated in 2010 after it has been applied to a variety of projects. Determine if any modifications should be made including consideration of converting the policy to an ordinance.
2007 Lafayette, CO Boulder County All new housing The 25% requirement would apply regardless of whether the development consisted of single-family detached or multi-family units. Mixed-use developments that include a vertical mix of uses and have greater than 75% of the units located above the ground floor will be exempt from the requirements. However, ground floor accessible units, up to a maximum of 25% of the total units within the development, will be required to comply. Mandatory None yet due to recent passage     Phillip Patterson, Director of Planning and Building 1290 S. Public Road Lafayette, CO 80026 303-665-5588 303-665-2153 fax www.cityoflafayette.com The visitability components include one zero-step entrance route with a minimum width of 36 inches and maximum slope of 1:12 or 8%. The visitable doors would allow for a minimum 32 inch clear opening. Visitable floor levels would require a minimum one-half (1/2) bath with a clear floor area of 30 x 48 inches. Every bathroom, regardless of its location within the structure, would require blocking in the walls for the purposes of installing grab bars next to toilets, bathtubs and showers. City Council could accept a cash in-lieu payment by a developer if requested prior to the preliminary plan review. Any cash in-lieu payments would be set aside to assist existing, qualified (as determined by Council) homeowners in retrofitting their homes. The Commission may recommend a waiver of the requirements, specifically the zero-step entrance, subject to excessive slope or other site conditions, or existing property restrictions such as excessive easements.  
2007 Dublin City, CA Alameda County All new housing The universal design ordinance requires developers building more than 20 houses in a given project to install UD features. The ordinance requires the developer to offer a list of optional features to make homes more accessible, such as a zero-step entrance. Items such as this will not be installed unless specifically requested by the buyer. Mandatory               Features included under the ordinance include lower heights for doorbells, behind the wall mounting for installation of grab bars in bathrooms, doorknobs and faucets that don't require a great deal of twisting or force and rocker switches.  Home buyers could opt out of the required features by writing a letter to the city. 
2007 Birmingham, AL   All new single family homes Subsidized (city funds) Mandatory         At least one zero-step entrance on a continuous unobstructed path from the public street or driveway; no slop exceeding 1:12 All doors that are designed to allow passage within the level shall have an unobstructed openin gof at least 36 inches when the door is open at a 90 degree angle.  At least one bathroom that contains, at a minimum, clear floor space of 30 by 48 inches centered on an contiguous to the sink; a sink an da toilet that each allow for a parallel or head-on approach by a person in a wheelchair; reinforced walls for grab bars All environmental controls located on the level shall be located on the wall at least 15 inches, but not more than 48 inches, above the floor
2007 (takes effect Jan. 1, 2008)