[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 24, Volume 4]

[Revised as of April 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 24CFR902.23]



[Page 264-265]

 

                 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 265]]



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).