Are grab bars required to be installed in bathrooms of covered multifamily dwelling units?
No. The backing for support and attachment of grab bars is required to be installed in all covered multifamily dwelling units. Grab bar installation is not required prior to a request by an occupant. A-24. How do California’s accessibility standards and HUD’s Fair Housing Amendments Act interrelate? The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 expanded the existing Fair Housing Act to include requirements for accessibility in and about multifamily housing accommodations. It also provides that States may enact and enforce laws and regulations for accessibility that are at least as restrictive as the federal requirements. This is the case in California, laws establishing accessibility and discriminatory prohibitions are equivalent and in many areas more restrictive than the federal requirements. It should be noted that HUD has stated in the Fair Housing Act Design Manual “when local codes differ from the national standard, either in scope or technical specification, the general rule is that t
