• 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.

How do I scope accessibility on a Public-funded Congregate Residence? CBC 11B

Y

Yikes

SAWHORSE
Joined
Nov 2, 2009
Messages
3,950
Location
Southern California
We're doing a public housing R-2 congregate residence in California for a not-for-profit: up to 80 beds, for families at risk of homelessness.
The problem is, I don't see where this fits anywhere within ADAS/CBC 11B Division 2 for scoping.

It is considered non-transient, permanent housing.
The bedrooms have their own bathrooms. The communal kitchen has many sinks, ovens, refrigerators and storage cabinets so that each family has their own food storage/cooking area, and so they can develop cooking skills with a cooking mentor.
This is NOT R-2.1, or a "Group Home", because there are no supervisory services or personal care services.

HUD money has touched the project, so it is considered "Public Housing", per CBC-11B, and we'll be using ADA + the HUD deeming notice to comply with UFAS.
  • It's not a "dwelling unit" (ADA/11B-233.3.1), it's a congregate residence.
  • It's not transient housing (224.1) or a
  • It's not housing at a place of education (224.7)
  • It doesn't provide temporary sleeping accommodations, nor is it a "social service center establishment" (11B-224.8)
When I look at the CBC definition of "dwelling unit", it includes congregate residences, but that takes me to chapter 11A for private housing - - but this is public-funded, so what should I do?

CBC excerpts:

CONGREGATE RESIDENCE. Any building or portion thereof that contains facilities for living, sleeping and sanitation, as required by this code, and may include facilities for eating and cooking, for occupancy by other than a family. A congregate residence may be a shelter, convent, monastery, dormitory, fraternity or sorority house, but does not include jails, hospitals, nursing homes, hotels or lodging houses.​
​
DWELLING UNIT. A single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking and sanitation. [HCD 1-AC] For the purposes of Chapter 11A, a single unit of residence for a family of one or more persons. Examples of dwelling units covered by Chapter 11A include condominiums, an apartment unit within an apartment building, and other types of dwellings in which sleeping accommodations are provided but toileting or cooking facilities are shared by occupants of more than one room or portion of the dwelling. Examples of the latter include dormitory rooms and sleeping accommodations in shelters intended for occupancy as residences for homeless persons.​

​

CBC 1102A.1 (scoping for private housing in California)​
Newly-constructed covered multifamily dwellings as defined in this chapter, include, but are not limited to, the following:​
3. Congregate residences, as defined in Chapter 2 of the California Building Code, with 3 or more sleeping units.​

Any help is appreciated!
 
Last edited:
I agree that it is R-2, but you won't find dormitory or boarding house in the 2010 ADA Standards, and in CBC 11B-224.1 describes "dormitories" as a type of "transient lodging facility".
This is permanent housing, not transient.
This has a kitchen for resident use, and a dormitory typically does not, and is not considered a "dwelling unit". So I don't know how to scope the kitchen.

The owner wants a giant kitchen with 8 sinks, 8 refrigerators, 8 cooktops and 8 ovens, for use by 8 families simultaneously.
Do I make all of this accessible? Do I make only one of each accessible?
 
Seems to me, while by no means experience in CA, that the following apply:

PUBLIC HOUSING. [DSA-AC & HCD 1-AC] Housing facilities constructed or altered by, for, or on behalf of a public entity, or constructed or altered as part of a public entity's program to provide housing pursuant to United States Code of Federal Regulations, 28 CFR Part 35, Section 35.102(a), including but not limited to the following:
  1. One- or two-family dwelling units or congregate residences;
  2. Buildings or complexes with three or more residential dwelling units;
  3. Homeless shelters, group homes, halfway houses and similar social service establishments;
  4. Transient lodging, such as hotels, motels, hostels and other facilities providing accommodations of a shortterm nature of not more than 30 days duration;
  5. Housing at a place of education, such as housing on or serving a public school, public college or public university.

11B-212.1 General​

Where provided, kitchens, kitchenettes, wet bars and sinks shall comply with Section 11B-212.

11B-212.2 Kitchens, Kitchenettes and Wet Bars​

Kitchens, kitchenettes and wet bars shall comply with Section 11B-804.

11B-212.3 Sinks​

Where sinks are provided, at least 5 percent, but no fewer than one, of each type provided in each accessible room or space shall comply with Section 11B-606.
Exceptions:
  1. Mop, service or scullery sinks shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-212.3.
  2. Scrub sinks, as defined in California Plumbing Code Section 221.0, shall not be required to comply with Section 11B-606.

11B-804.6 Appliances​

Where provided, kitchen appliances shall comply with Section 11B-804.6.
 
Thanks for all this research on my question, classicT !

Regarding the items in red:
A congregate residence is technically only one dwelling unit.
Social service establishments are generally defined as having 24-hour supervised care. This does not.

On a practical basis, it would seem that I ought to at least make 5% of eveything mobility accessible. I just can't trace my way through the code to come to that conclusion, and I don't know if 804.6 would also require me to make 8 ovens accessible with 8 adjacent 30" worksurfaces, etc.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top