24 C.F.R. § 8.32
§ 8.32 Accessibility standards. (24 CFR Part 8)
Operative Text
(a) Effective as of July 11, 1988, design, construction, or alteration of buildings in conformance with sections 3-8 of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of §§ 8.21, 8.22, 8.23, and 8.25 with respect to those buildings. Departures from particular technical and scoping requirements of the UFAS by the use of other methods are permitted where substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the building is provided. The alteration of housing facilities shall also be in conformance with additional scoping requirements contained in this part. Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the UFAS are directed to § 40.7 of this title. (b) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.6(1)(g) of UFAS shall be interpreted to exempt from the requirements of UFAS only mechanical rooms and other spaces that, because of their intended use, will not require accessibility to the public or beneficiaries or result in the employment or residence therein of individuals with physical handicaps. (c) This section does not require recipients to make building alterations that have little likelihood of being accomplished without removing or altering a load-bearing structural member. (d) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.4(11) of UFAS may not be used to waive or lower the minimum of five percent accessible units required by § 8.22(b) or to apply the minimum only to projects of 15 or more dwelling units. (e) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, the provisions of §§ 8.21 (a) and (b), 8.22 (a) and (b), 8.23, 8.25(a) (1) and (2), and 8.29 shall apply to facilities that are designed, constructed or altered after July 11, 1988. If the design of a facility was commenced before July 11, 1988, the provisions shall be followed to the maximum extent practicable, as determined by the Department. For purposes of this paragraph, the date a facility is constructed or altered shall be deemed to be the date bids for the construction or alteration of the facility are solicited. For purposes of the Urban Development Action Grant (UDAG) program, the provisions shall apply to the construction or alteration of facilities that are funded under applications submitted after July 11, 1988. If the UDAG application was submitted before July 11, 1988, the provisions shall apply, to the maximum extent practicable, as determined by the Department.
Under 24 CFR Part 8 § 8.32, buildings designed, constructed, or altered on or after July 11, 1988 must meet the accessibility standards set out in the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) to satisfy federal requirements for accessible housing. Alternative construction methods may be used in place of specific UFAS technical requirements only when they provide substantially equivalent or greater accessibility. Certain narrow exemptions exist—such as for mechanical rooms not used by the public or residents with disabilities—but these exemptions cannot be used to reduce the minimum percentage of accessible dwelling units below what other provisions in Part 8 require.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators and developers subject to 24 CFR Part 8 § 8.32 generally ensure that any facility designed, constructed, or altered after July 11, 1988 is built in conformance with UFAS sections 3–8, and they document any alternative methods used as providing equivalent or greater accessibility. Compliant operators are careful not to invoke UFAS section 4.1.4(11) to reduce the minimum five-percent accessible-unit threshold required elsewhere in Part 8. Projects that began design before the July 11, 1988 effective date are expected to follow the standards to the maximum extent practicable, as determined by HUD.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 24 CFR Part 8 § 8.32, tenants in federally assisted housing have a basis to expect that buildings constructed or altered after July 11, 1988 meet federal accessibility standards, and that exemptions have not been improperly used to reduce the number of accessible units below the required minimum. If a tenant believes a property fails to meet these standards, options generally include filing a complaint with HUD or raising the violation through a fair housing organization. Consulting a tenant-rights organization or legal aid office familiar with federal accessibility requirements can help clarify what remedies may be available under § 8.32.
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 6, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.