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Hayward adopts universal residential design standards to aid aging and accessibility
Summary
The City Council adopted an ordinance adding universal residential design and visibility standards to the Hayward Municipal Code, aimed at making new single‑family and small multifamily housing easier to adapt for people of all ages and abilities.
The Hayward City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance amending the Hayward Municipal Code to add universal residential design standards for single‑family homes, duplexes and triplexes. The ordinance was introduced and approved following a brief staff summary from the planning division and questions from council members.
Jeremy Lukirico, planning manager for the City of Hayward, told the council universal design “is generally about making walkways, streetscapes, and environments more accessible and easy to maneuver for all ages and abilities.” The ordinance requires that new housing be designed so it can accommodate features for aging in place or disability access; the requirement applies to design and layout, not mandatory installation of adaptive features. Lukirico said the standards mandate design accommodations such as accessible switch locations, door levers and structural reinforcement to allow future grab‑bar installation.
Councilmembers described the ordinance as a multigenerational and disability‑justice measure. Mayor Pro Tem Roach said the zero‑threshold elements allow “a stroller and a walker to go over it,” and recalled earlier planning‑commission work on universal design. Councilmember Cyril framed the change as both senior and disability justice and asked staff to track developer feedback after implementation.
The ordinance was found categorically exempt from CEQA under section 15061(b)(3) of the CEQA guidelines, and passed on a 7–0 vote. Staff said the ordinance requires developers to design homes to be adaptable; actual installation of accessible fixtures would be at the buyer’s expense or could be deferred until needed.
City staff said the construction cost impact is minimal and provided examples such as lever door hardware, accessible switch placement and modest framing reinforcement for later grab‑bar installations. The planning manager and director said projects already complying with Hayward’s residential design study often meet required design points; the ordinance formalizes those expectations.
