OAR 813 § 813-310-0030
Community Powder Room
Operative Text
(1) Except as provided by subsection (2) of this section, the required community powder room shall be available for use 24-hours per day, 7 days per week. This availability may be provided by on-site or on-call staff, through the use of keys, keypads or electronic code locks, or by other means, as approved by the Department. (2) Group homes are exempt from the community powder room requirements. (3) A subsidized development shall also be exempt from the requirement to make the required community powder room available for use 24-hours per day if justification is provided to the Department demonstrating that all of the visitable units in the development include an adaptable powder room that meets the requirements of OAR 813-310-0025 and also has at least one grab bar. The grab bar shall be installed on the wall beside the toilet and shall meet ADA standards as of July 1, 2004, for proper installation, diameter and length. (In considering whether all the units of a subsidized development have met the provisions of this subsection, the Department will exclude units that have already been given a full exemption from the powder room visitability requirements.) In addition to providing adaptable powder rooms in visitable units, an applicant requesting this exemption shall provide a list to OHCS of the hours that the community powder room will be available. Where the Department grants an exemption under this provision, the Department shall encourage that subsidized development to provide access upon request to any community powder room, where feasible. [Publications: Publications referenced are available from the agency.]
OAR 813 § 813-310-0030 establishes when and how a required community powder room must be accessible in covered residential developments. As a general rule, the powder room must be open around the clock, every day of the week, through whatever access method the Oregon Housing and Community Services Department approves—such as keys, keypads, or staffing. Group homes are fully exempt from this requirement, and subsidized developments may qualify for a partial exemption from the 24/7 rule if every visitable unit contains an adaptable powder room with at least one ADA-compliant grab bar, and the operator documents the limited hours of availability with the Department.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of covered developments subject to OAR 813 § 813-310-0030 generally ensure that the community powder room is accessible at all hours through a Department-approved method, whether that means on-site staff, on-call staff, key distribution, or electronic access systems. Operators of subsidized developments who wish to limit powder room hours typically document that every visitable unit contains an adaptable powder room meeting OAR 813-310-0025 standards and includes a properly installed, ADA-compliant grab bar beside the toilet, then submit that justification along with a proposed hours schedule to Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). Even where OHCS grants a limited-hours exemption under this provision, the Department encourages operators to provide access upon request where feasible.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
OAR 813 § 813-310-0030 gives residents of most covered developments a right to access the community powder room at any hour of the day or night, unless the development qualifies for a specific exemption. Tenants who believe access is being improperly restricted—for example, in a non-exempt development where the powder room is locked during certain hours—may consider contacting Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) to raise the concern or consulting a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options. Residents of subsidized developments should be aware that a limited-hours exemption is only valid when OHCS has formally approved it based on the unit-level grab-bar and adaptable powder room criteria described in this provision.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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