Principal features of the Option One guidelines that were not changed in the final Guidelines include the following:
(1) Accessible entrance and an accessible route.
The Option One guidelines for these two requirements remain unchanged in the final Guidelines.
(2) Accessible and usable public and common use areas.
The Option One guidelines for public and common use areas remain unchanged in the final Guidelines.
(3) Doors within individual dwelling units.
The final Guidelines recommend that doors intended for user passage within individual dwelling units have a clear opening of at least 32 inches nominal width when the door is open 90 degrees.
(4) Doors to public and common use areas.
The final Guidelines continued to provide that on accessible routes in public and common use areas, and for primary entry doors to covered units, doors that comply with ANSI 4.13 meet the Act's requirement for "usable" doors.
(4) [sic] Thresholds at exterior doors.
Subject to the exceptions for thresholds and changes in level at exterior areas constructed of impervious materials, the final Guidelines continue to specify that thresholds at exterior doors, including sliding door tracks, be no higher than 3/4 inch.
(5) Reinforced walls for grab bars.
The final Guidelines for bathroom wall reinforcement remains essentially unchanged from the Option One guidelines. The only change made to these guidelines has been to subject powder rooms to the reinforced wall requirement when the powder room is the only toilet facility on the accessible floor of a covered multistory dwelling unit.
The text of the final Guidelines follows the preamble, which includes a discussion of the public comments received on the proposed guidelines, and the section-by-section analysis referenced above.
The design specifications presented in the Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines provide technical guidance to builders and developers in complying with the specific accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988. The Guidelines are intended to provide a safe harbor for compliance with the accessibility requirements of the Fair Housing Amendments Act, as implemented by 24 CFR §100.205 of the Department's Fair Housing regulations. The Guidelines are not mandatory. Additionally, the Guidelines do not prescribe specific requirements which must be met, and which, if not met, would constitute unlawful discrimination under the Fair Housing Amendments Act. Builders and developers may choose to depart from the Guidelines, and seek alternate ways to demonstrate that they have met the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.
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