• Welcome to The Building Code Forum

    Your premier resource for building code knowledge.

    This forum remains free to the public thanks to the generous support of our Sawhorse Members and Corporate Sponsors. Their contributions help keep this community thriving and accessible.

    Want enhanced access to expert discussions and exclusive features? Learn more about the benefits here.

    Ready to upgrade? Log in and upgrade now.

New Condominium and ADA Requirements

IRC section R320.

My state has amended that section. For townhouses, our requirement is that where there are four or more townhouses in a single structure, each single-story
townhouse shall be a Type B unit. But -- a one-story [above grade] dwelling unit with a basement is a two-story DU for this purpose, and pretty much everything here has basements.

Beyond that (also amended by this state):

R320.3 Multistory townhouses. Buildings or complexes
that contain 10 or more multistory townhouses shall have at
least 10 percent Type B units. This requirement shall be met
by providing a sufficient number of single-story Type B
units or by providing a sufficient number of multistory townhouses
that incorporate a Type B unit on the street floor or
by a combination of the two. Multistory townhouses that
incorporate a Type B unit on the street floor shall not be
required to provide accessibility to floors above or below the
street floor. The Type B unit on the street floor shall include
provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and a
complete toilet and bathing facility on that floor.

Thus, for a 6-unit condominium no accessibility would be required.
 
No such thing as a condominium in the codes.
Fair Housing would be the proper Federal Agency to look at for requirements
Building code would be R-2 apartment requirements.
 
For a planned 6 unit condominium with no federal or state funding, all private, what would the minimum ADA requirements be?
Is this a multi-story building with six condo units? Four or more units then all ground floor units would need to comply with the Fair Housing Act including the site parking and all common elements. If there is an elevator, then all six units would need to comply with the Fair Housing Act including the site parking and all common elements. HOA would be required to incorporate reasonable accommodation requests in their policies and regulations.
 
Is this a multi-story building with six condo units? Four or more units then all ground floor units would need to comply with the Fair Housing Act including the site parking and all common elements. If there is an elevator, then all six units would need to comply with the Fair Housing Act including the site parking and all common elements. HOA would be required to incorporate reasonable accommodation requests in their policies and regulations.
I don't know how the townhouse comment got mixed in. I posted a 6 unit condo. Three stories with 2 units per floor. Condo would be R2.
 
it is four or more units which means these dwellings, the site, parking, and common elements, will automatically be covered by the Fair Housing Act. If the three stories are served by an elevator, then not only the ground floor units will be covered, all the units and site will be required to be FHA accessible. It is a federal law like the ADA is a federal law.
 
I don't know how the townhouse comment got mixed in. I posted a 6 unit condo. Three stories with 2 units per floor. Condo would be R2.

In fairness, you said nothing about three stories with two units per story. You said "a planned 6 unit condominium."

In my defense, nobody would build a 6 unit, 3 story condo in this state. Most condo here are townhouses, or single-story (and very few of the latter).
 
In fairness, you said nothing about three stories with two units per story. You said "a planned 6 unit condominium."

In my defense, nobody would build a 6 unit, 3 story condo in this state. Most condo here are townhouses, or single-story (and very few of the latter).
In my defense, if they were townhouses, I would have said they were townhouses.
 
In my defense, if they were townhouses, I would have said they were townhouses.

It's a good thing we all speak the same language, isn't it? Otherwise there might be misunderstandings. ;)

"Condominium" is a form/type of ownership. The word conveys nothing about the physical design or layout of the units. Condos can be townhouses, flats (single-story or multi-story buildings), or free-standing one- or two-family residences with or without a peripheral strip of land surrounding each unit as part of the unit's property rather than as common space. In this state we have all of the above (and possibly some other variations of which I am unaware).
 
It is not relevant, they are R2 dwelling units

Not all condos are R-2 DUs. Many are townhouses, under the IRC. Many others are single-family or two-family dwellings. You were obviously thinking R-2 apartments, but you wrote "condominium," which is not definitive of the building code occupancy classification.
 
Let's all pile on Jeff... ;)

View attachment 14254

You've been peeking! I just did that plan review yesterday -- how did they build it overnight?

Seriously -- we're looking at almost that exact building, except the one we're reviewing has six bays. not four. But the application is for an unfinished shell, so we'll permit it as that and then as each bay gets a tenant (or owner) we'll issue a permit for tenant fit-out.

I don't know how other towns do it but our assessor lists each unit of a condominium as a separate property. She has no separate listing for any common elements -- she says that's all built into the assessment of each unit on a proportional basis, but I don't believe it.
 
Let's all pile on Jeff... ;)
He lives in an area where all multi-floor residential building are referred to as "condos" similar to ordering a "Coke" 40 years ago in parts of the south the waitress would ask "what kind" it was and still is used as a generic name for all soda/pop brands and flavors.

So Jar from the NE do you use the generic term coke yet when ordering a soft drink or are you still using pop or soda?

1725569828664.png
 
Last edited:
So would the IBC and ANSI A117.7 apply to R2 condominiums?

Under the codes, R-2 condominiums are R-2 dwelling units. The code doesn't care if they are rental apartments, condominiums, cooperatives, or any other form of ownership. The code regulates according to the use and occupancy classification, not the form of ownership. The IBC and A117.1 apply to R-2 condominiums to the same extent they apply to R-2 dwelling units under any form of ownership.
 
Under the codes, R-2 condominiums are R-2 dwelling units. The code doesn't care if they are rental apartments, condominiums, cooperatives, or any other form of ownership. The code regulates according to the use and occupancy classification, not the form of ownership. The IBC and A117.1 apply to R-2 condominiums to the same extent they apply to R-2 dwelling units under any form of ownership.
I believe that is not what Mr Inspector is eluding to which is why I asked him that question.
 
Back
Top