[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 24, Volume 4]
[Revised as of April 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 24CFR902.23]

[Page 258-259]
 
                 TITLE 24--HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
 
CHAPTER IX--OFFICE OF ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR PUBLIC AND INDIAN HOUSING, 
               DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
 
PART 902--PUBLIC HOUSING ASSESSMENT SYSTEM--Table of Contents
 
            Subpart B--PHAS Indicator #1: Physical Condition
 
Sec. 902.23  Physical condition standards for public housing--decent, safe, and sanitary housing in good repair (DSS/GR).

    (a) General. Public housing must be maintained in a manner that 
meets the physical condition standards set forth in this part in order 
to be considered decent, safe, sanitary and in good repair (standards 
that constitute acceptable basic housing conditions). These standards 
address the major physical areas of public housing: site; building 
exterior; building systems; dwelling units; and common areas (see 
paragraph (b) of this section). These standards also identify health and 
safety considerations (see paragraph (c) of this section). These 
standards address acceptable basic housing conditions, not the 
adornment, decor or other cosmetic appearance of the housing.
    (b) Major inspectable areas. The five major inspectable areas of 
public housing are the following:
    (1) Site. The site includes components, such as fencing and 
retaining walls, grounds, lighting, mailboxes, signs (such as those 
identifying the development or areas of the development), parking lots/
driveways, play areas and equipment, refuse disposal, roads, storm 
drainage and walkways. The site must be free of health and safety 
hazards and be in good repair. The site must not be subject to material 
adverse conditions, such as abandoned vehicles, dangerous walks or 
steps, poor drainage, septic tank back-

[[Page 259]]

ups, sewer hazards, excess accumulations of trash, vermin or rodent 
infestation or fire hazards.
    (2) Building exterior. Each building on the site must be 
structurally sound, secure, habitable, and in good repair. The 
building's exterior components such as doors, fire escapes, foundations, 
lighting, roofs, walls, and windows, where applicable, must be free of 
health and safety hazards, operable, and in good repair.
    (3) Building systems. The building's systems include components such 
as domestic water, electrical system, elevators, emergency power, fire 
protection, HVAC, and sanitary system. Each building's systems must be 
free of health and safety hazards, functionally adequate, operable, and 
in good repair.
    (4) Dwelling units. (i) Each dwelling unit within a building must be 
structurally sound, habitable, and in good repair. All areas and aspects 
of the dwelling unit (for example, the unit's bathroom, call-for-aid, 
ceiling, doors, electrical systems, floors, hot water heater, HVAC 
(where individual units are provided), kitchen, lighting, outlets/
switches, patio/porch/balcony, smoke detectors, stairs, walls, and 
windows) must be free of health and safety hazards, functionally 
adequate, operable, and in good repair.
    (ii) Where applicable, the dwelling unit must have hot and cold 
running water, including an adequate source of potable water.
    (iii) If the dwelling unit includes its own sanitary facility, it 
must be in proper operating condition, usable in privacy, and adequate 
for personal hygiene and the disposal of human waste.
    (iv) The dwelling unit must include at least one battery-operated or 
hard-wired smoke detector, in proper working condition, on each level of 
the unit.
    (5) Common areas. The common areas must be structurally sound, 
secure, and functionally adequate for the purposes intended. The common 
areas include components such as basement/garage/carport, restrooms, 
closets, utility, mechanical, community rooms, day care, halls/
corridors, stairs, kitchens, laundry rooms, office, porch, patio, 
balcony, and trash collection areas, if applicable. The common areas 
must be free of health and safety hazards, operable, and in good repair. 
All common area ceilings, doors, floors, HVAC, lighting, outlets/
switches, smoke detectors, stairs, walls, and windows, to the extent 
applicable, must be free of health and safety hazards, operable, and in 
good repair.
    (c) Health and safety concerns. All areas and components of the 
housing must be free of health and safety hazards. These areas include, 
but are not limited to, air quality, electrical hazards, elevators, 
emergency/fire exits, flammable materials, garbage and debris, handrail 
hazards, infestation, and lead-based paint. For example, the buildings 
must have fire exits that are not blocked and have hand rails that are 
undamaged and have no other observable deficiencies. The housing must 
have no evidence of infestation by rats, mice, or other vermin, or of 
garbage and debris. The housing must have no evidence of electrical 
hazards, natural hazards, or fire hazards. The dwelling units and common 
areas must have proper ventilation and be free of mold, odor (e.g., 
propane, natural gas, methane gas), or other observable deficiencies. 
The housing must comply with all regulations and requirements related to 
the ownership of pets, and the evaluation and reduction of lead-based 
paint hazards and have available proper certifications of such (see 24 
CFR part 35).