Covered affordable housing must be built with specified accessibility features, and a waiver may be available for the accessible-route requirement if grading costs are prohibitively expensive.
Sec. 2306.514. CONSTRUCTION REQUIREMENTS FOR SINGLE FAMILY AFFORDABLE HOUSING. (a) If a person is awarded state or federal funds by the department to construct single family affordable housing for individuals and families of low and very low income, the affordable housing identified on the person's funding application must be constructed so that: (1) at least one entrance door, whether located at the front, side, or back of the building: (A) is on an accessible route served by a ramp or no-step entrance; and (B) has at least a standard 36-inch door; (2) on the first floor of the building: (A) each interior door is at least a standard 32-inch door, unless the door provides access only to a closet of less than 15 square feet in area; (B) each hallway has a width of at least 36 inches and is level, with ramped or beveled changes at each door threshold; (C) each bathroom wall is reinforced for potential installation of grab bars; (D) each electrical panel, light switch, or thermostat is not higher than 48 inches above the floor; and (E) each electrical plug or other receptacle is at least 15 inches above the floor; and (3) if the applicable building code or codes do not prescribe another location for the breaker boxes, each breaker box is located not higher than 48 inches above the floor inside the building on the first floor. (b) A person who builds single family affordable housing to which this section applies may obtain a waiver from the department of the requirement described by Subsection (a)(1)(A) if the cost of grading the terrain to meet the requirement is prohibitively expensive. Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1581, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1341 (S.B. 1908), Sec. 26, eff. September 1, 2007. SUBCHAPTER X-2. NATURAL DISASTER HOUSING RECONSTRUCTION INITIATIVE