Fair Housing Act Design and Construction Requirements; Adoption of Additional Safe Harbors

This rule amends HUD's Fair Housing Act design and construction regulations by incorporating by reference the 2009 edition of the International Code Council (ICC) Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities (ICC A117.1-2009) standard, as a safe harbor. The Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities standard is a technical standard for the design of facilities that are accessible to persons with disabilities. This rule also designates the 2009, 2012, 2015 and 2018 editions of the International Building Code (IBC) as safe harbors under the Fair Housing Act. The IBC is a model building code and not law, but it was adopted as law by various states and localities. The IBC provides minimum standards for public safety, health, and welfare as they are affected by building construction.