Standards – Hawaii Visitable Housing Coalition

This page provides links to the primary accessible housing standards used throughout the United States and internationally.

International Code Council, Inc. (ICC)

Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities ICC A111.1-2009 | Chapter 10 – Dwelling Units and Sleeping Units (2011). Provides the standards required for homes to meet four levels of accessibility: Accessible, Type A, Type B, and Type C (Visitable) (these standards have been adopted by both the ICC and the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI). (PDF, 21 pages, 2 Megabytes)

Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) (2002). This is the go-to document for scoping and technical requirements for accessibility to buildings and facilities by people with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Only a small proportion of UFAS standards apply to private housing, mainly that which is constructed with Federal funding supports. For such housing, the UFAS specifies minimum requirements for doorway dimensions, hardware used for handles, style of thresholds, width of hallways, and the ability to navigate through a unit and building in a wheelchair. (PDF, 122 pages, 9 Megabytes)

Fair Housing Act Design Manual for Accessibility (1998). This manual is meant to assist designers and builders in meeting the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Act. It provides a clear statement of HUD’s interpretation of the requirements so that readers may know what actions will provide them with a “safe harbor.” It also explains HUD’s obligation to provide technical assistance on alternative accessibility approaches. (PDF, 30 pages, 2 Megabytes)
ADA Standards for Accessible Design – 809.5 Residential Dwelling Units with Communication Features (2010). Section 809.5 specifies standards for communication features needed by people with hearing or vision impairments, including fire alarms, smoke detectors, doorbells, and entrance door peepholes. (Word document, 1 page, 150 Kilobytes)