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Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines cont'd

 Information by State
 Print version
 
Requirement 2. Accessible and usable public and common use areas.
Section 100.205(c)(1) provides that covered multifamily dwellings with a building entrance on an accessible route shall be designed in such a manner that the public and common use areas are readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

Guideline
The following chart identifies the public and common use areas that should be made accessible, cites the appropriate section of the ANSI Standard, and describes the appropriate application of the specifications, including modifications to the referenced Standard.

Basic Components for Accessible and
Usable Public and Common Use Areas or Facilities

Accessible element or space
ANSI A117.1 section
APPLICATION
1. Accessible route(s) 4.3 Within the boundary of the site:
  1. From public transportation stops, accessible parking spaces, accessible passenger loading zones, and public streets or sidewalks to accessible building entrances (subject to site considerations describes in section 5).
  2. Connecting accessible buildings, facilities, elements and spaces that are on the same site. On-grade walks or paths between separate buildings with covered multifamily dwellings, while not required, should be accessible unless the slope of finish grade exceeds 8.33% at any point along the route. Handrails are not required on these accessible walks.
  3. Connecting accessible building or facility entrances with accessible spaces and elements within the building or facility, including adaptable dwelling units.
  4. Where site or legal constraints prevent a route accessible to wheelchair users between covered multifamily dwellings and public or common-use facilities elsewhere on the site, an acceptable alternative is the provision of access via a vehicular route so long as there is accessible parking on an accessible route to at least 2% of covered dwelling units, and necessary site provisions such as parking and curb cuts are available at the public or common use facility.
2. Protruding Objects 4.4 Accessible routes or maneuvering space including , but not limited to halls, corridors, passageways, or aisles.
3. Ground and floor surface treatments 4.5 Accessible routes, and spaces, including floors, walks, ramps, stairs, and curb ramps.
4. Parking and passenger loading zones 4.6 If provided at the site, designated accessible parking at the dwelling unit on request of residents with handicaps, on the same terms and with the full range of choices (e.g. surface parking or garage) that are provided for other residents of the project, with accessible parking on a route accessible to wheelchairs for at least 2% of the dwelling units: accessible visitor parking sufficient to provide access to gradelevel entrances of covered multifamily dwelling: and accessible parking at facilites (e.g. swimming pools) that serve accessible building.
5. Curb ramps 4.7 Accessible routes crossing crubs.
6. Ramps 4.8 Accessible routes with slopes greater than 1:20.
7. Stairs 4.9 Stairs on accessible routes connecting levels not connected by an elevator.
8. Elevator 4.10 If provided.
9. Platform lift 4.11 May be used in lieu of an elevator or ramp under certain conditions.
10. Drinking fountains and water coolers 4.15 Fifty percent of fountains and coolers on each floor, or at least one, if provided in the facility or the site.
11. Toilet rooms and bathing facilities (including water closets, toilet rooms and stalls, urinals, lavatories and mirrors, bathtubs, shower stalls, and sinks.) 4.22 Where provided in public-use and common-use facilities, at least one on each fixture provided per room.
12. Seating, tables, or work surfaces 4.30 If provided in accessible spaces, at least one of each type provided.
13. Places of assembly 4.31 If provided in the facility or at the site.
14. Common-use spaces and facilities (including swimming pools, playgrounds, entrances, rental offices, lobbies, elevators, mailbox areas, lounges, halls and corridors,and the like.) 4.1 through 4.30 If provided in the facility or at the site:
  1. Where multiple recreational facilities (e.g. tennis courts) are provided sufficient accessible facilities of each type equitable opportunity for use by persons with handicaps.
  2. Where practical, access to all or a portion of nature trails and jogging paths
15. Laundry rooms 4.32.6 If provided in the facility or at the site, at least one of each type of appliance provided in each laundry area, except that laudry rooms serving covered multifamily dwellings would not be required to have front loading washers in order to meet the requirements of §100.205(c)(1). (Where front loading washers are not provided, management will be expected to provide assistive devices on request if necessary to permit a resident to use a top loading washer.)

    Requirement 3. Usable doors.
    Section 100.205(c)(2) provides that covered multifamily dwellings with a building entrance on an accessible route shall be designed in such a manner that all the doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises are sufficiently wide to allow passage by handicapped persons in wheelchairs.

    Guideline
    Section 100.205(c)(2) would apply to doors that are a part of an accessible route in the public and common use areas of multifamily dwellings and to doors into and within individual dwelling units.

    1. On accessible routes in public and common use areas, and for primary entry doors to covered units, doors that comply with ANSI 4.13 would meet this requirement.

    2. Within individual dwelling units, doors intended for user passage through the unit which have a clear opening of at least 32 inches nominal width when the door is open 90 degrees, measured between the face of the door and the stop, would meet this requirement. (See Fig. 1 (a), (b), and (c).) Openings more than 24 inches in depth are not considered doorways. (See Fig. 1(d).)

      Note
      A 34-inch door, hung in the standard manner, provides an acceptable nominal 32-inch clear opening. This door can be adapted to provide a wider opening by using offset hinges, by removing lower portions of the door stop, or both.
      Pocket or sliding doors are acceptable doors in covered dwelling units and have the added advantage of not impinging on clear floor space in small rooms.
      The nominal 32-inch clear opening provided by a standard six-foot sliding patio door assembly is acceptable.


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