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Committee adopts amendments to require diaper‑changing accommodations in public city buildings
Summary
Supervisors advanced legislation to require at least one diaper‑changing accommodation in city buildings open to the public, expand coverage in commercial restrooms, and move enforcement to the building code; amendments extend compliance time and clarify accessibility and waiver procedures.
The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee moved forward an ordinance on Feb. 22 requiring city buildings accessible to the public to install and maintain at least one diaper‑changing accommodation and expanding requirements for certain public businesses.
Diana Kizon of Supervisor Katie Tang’s office said the ordinance was inspired by a Feb. 2016 federal action and builds on a 2005 San Francisco requirement for new and substantially renovated buildings. "We changed three codes, to accomplish three different opportunities," Kizon said, describing amendments to the administrative code, police code and building code to broaden coverage and enforcement.
Key changes include a requirement that establishments offering changing stations in a female restroom must also provide them in a male or all‑gender restroom; a definition of what qualifies as a diaper‑changing accommodation; and moving enforcement into the Department of Building Inspection so the requirement is applied at building plan and inspection stages. The legislation clarifies that the ordinance will not impair contracts or leases and establishes a waiver procedure when accessibility or physical constraints prevent installation.
Amendments adopted in committee widened the compliance period from six to 12 months to allow departments with multiple floors more time to install stations. Supervisor Sheehy moved to approve the item; the committee adopted the ordinance as amended.
The ordinance was sent forward with a positive recommendation to the Board of Supervisors.
