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Lawmakers hear wide support and some builders’ concerns on accessibility standards for new housing
Summary
Senate Bill 444 would align Oregon's building code with Fair Housing accessibility standards and prohibit OHCS funding for subsidized rental housing that does not meet specified accessibility requirements; advocates pressed for the bill as a necessary step to address a severe undersupply of accessible units, while builders raised cost and design
The Senate Committee on Housing and Development held a lengthy Feb. 5 public hearing on Senate Bill 444, a proposal that would require the director of the Department of Business and Consumer Services to adopt rules aligning the state building code with accessibility requirements under the federal Fair Housing Act and certain ANSI standards, and would bar the Housing and Community Services Department from funding new subsidized rental developments that do not meet those accessibility standards.
Sen. Deb Patterson, the bill's sponsor, told the committee that the state faces a growing need for accessible housing as the population ages and as a substantial share of households include people who use mobility aids. “Accessible housing is also important for older adults,” Patterson said, and she argued retrofits are costly and limited in effect compared with building accessibility in from the start.
Rep. Courtney Nieron, a co-chief sponsor, and multiple…
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