24 C.F.R. § 200.952
§ 200.952 Supplementary specific requirements under the HUD building product standards and certification program for particleboard interior stair treads. (24 CFR Part 200)
Operative Text
(a) Applicable standards. (1) All interior particleboard stair treads shall be designed, manufactured, and tested in compliance with ANSI A208.1-1993 Particleboard, Grade M-3. (2) This standard has been approved by the Director of the Federal Register for incorporation by reference in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 552(a) and 1 CFR part 51, and is available from the American National Standards Institute, Inc., 11 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036. (b) Labeling. Under the procedures set forth in § 200.935(d)(6) concerning labeling of a product, the administrator's validation mark and the manufacturer's certification of compliance with the applicable standard are required to be on the certification label issued by the administrator to the manufacturer. Each interior particleboard stair tread shall include the manufacturer's statement of conformance to UM 70b, a statement that this product is for interior use only, and the manufacturer's name and plant location. (c) Periodic tests and quality assurance. Under the procedures set forth in § 200.935(d)(8) concerning periodic tests and quality assurance inspections, the frequency of testing for a product shall be described in the specific building product certification program. In the case of interior particleboard stair treads, testing and inspection shall be conducted as follows: (1) At least once every three months, the administrator shall visit the manufacturer's facility to select a sample for testing in a laboratory approved by the administrator. (2) The administrator shall also review the quality assurance procedures twice a year to assure that they are being followed by the manufacturer.
Section 200.952 establishes federal product standards for particleboard interior stair treads sold or used in HUD-covered housing. Under this rule, such treads must meet the ANSI A208.1-1993 Grade M-3 standard and carry a certification label that includes the administrator's validation mark, the manufacturer's compliance certification, a conformance statement to UM 70b, an 'interior use only' notice, and the manufacturer's name and plant location. Ongoing oversight is built into the rule: an approved administrator must visit manufacturing facilities at least quarterly to pull samples for lab testing and must review quality assurance procedures twice a year.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers involved in construction or renovation under HUD programs should be aware that § 200.952 requires any particleboard interior stair treads used in covered projects to come from manufacturers certified under this program. Compliant operators generally verify that each tread's label carries the administrator's validation mark, the UM 70b conformance statement, and the 'interior use only' designation before installation. Retaining documentation of product certifications is a practice consistent with demonstrating compliance if questions arise during inspections or audits.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 200.952, tenants living in HUD-covered housing have an interest in knowing that particleboard interior stair treads are subject to federal manufacturing and labeling standards designed to ensure product quality and safe interior use. If a stair tread appears unlabeled, deteriorating, or otherwise suspect, tenants can document the condition and raise the issue with their local HUD field office or a housing code enforcement agency. Tenant-rights organizations and HUD's complaint intake process are available resources for understanding how this provision may apply to conditions in a specific building.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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