Iowa Administrative Code
Agency 481 - Inspections and Appeals Department
Inspections Division
Chapter 69 - Assisted Living Programs
Rule 481-69.35 - Structural Requirements
Universal Citation: IA Admin Code 481-69.35
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 6, September 18, 2024
(1)General requirements.
a. The structure of the program shall be
designed and operated to meet the needs of the tenants.
b. The buildings and grounds shall be
well-maintained, clean, safe and sanitary.
c. Programs shall have private dwelling units
with a single-action, lockable entrance door.
d. A program serving persons with cognitive
impairment or dementia, whether in a general or dementia-specific setting,
shall have the means to disable or remove the lock on an entrance door and
shall disable or remove the lock if its presence presents a danger to the
health and safety of the tenant.
e.
The structure in which a program is housed shall comply with the administrative
rules promulgated by the state fire marshal.
f. Programs may have individual cooking
facilities within the private dwelling units. Any program serving persons with
cognitive impairment or dementia, whether in a general or dementia-specific
setting, shall have the means to disable or easily remove appliances and shall
disable or remove them if their presence presents a danger to the health and
safety of the tenant or others.
(2) Programs certified prior to July 4, 2001. Facilities for programs certified prior to July 4, 2001, shall meet the following requirements:
a.
Each dwelling unit shall have at least one room that shall have not less than
120 square feet of floor area. Other habitable rooms shall have an area of not
less than 70 square feet.
b. Each
dwelling unit shall have not less than 190 square feet of floor area, excluding
bathrooms.
c. A dwelling unit used
for double occupancy shall have not less than 290 square feet of floor area,
excluding bathrooms.
d. The program
shall have a minimum of 15 square feet of common area per tenant.
(3) New construction built on or after July 4, 2001. Programs operated in new construction built on or after July 4, 2001, shall meet the following requirements:
a. Each dwelling unit shall have at least one
room that shall have not less than 120 square feet of floor area. Other
habitable rooms shall have an area of not less than 70 square feet.
b. Each dwelling unit used for single
occupancy shall have a total square footage of not less than 240 square feet of
floor area, excluding bathrooms and door swing.
c. A dwelling unit used for double occupancy
shall have a total square footage of not less than 340 square feet of floor
area, excluding bathrooms and door swing.
d. Each dwelling unit shall contain a
bathroom, including but not limited to a toilet, sink and bathing facilities. A
program serving persons with cognitive impairment or dementia, whether in a
general or dementia-specific setting, shall have the means to disable or remove
the sink or bathing facility water control and shall disable or remove the
water control if its presence presents a danger to the health and safety of the
tenant.
e. Self-closing doors are
not required for individual dwelling units, whether in a general or
dementia-specific setting, unless the authority with jurisdiction determines
that the level of hazard has increased to require the installation of closure
hardware (for example, presence of a stove, range or oven).
(4) Structure being converted to or remodeled for use by a program on or after July 4, 2001. A program operating in a structure that was converted or remodeled for use for a program on or after July 4, 2001, shall meet the following requirements:
a. Each dwelling unit
shall have at least one room that has not less than 120 square feet of floor
area. Other habitable rooms shall have an area of not less than 70 square
feet.
b. Each dwelling unit used
for single occupancy shall have a total square footage of not less than 190
square feet of floor area, excluding bathrooms and door swing.
c. A dwelling unit used for double occupancy
shall have a total square footage of not less than 290 square feet of floor
area, excluding bathrooms and door swing.
d. Each dwelling unit shall have a bathroom,
including but not limited to a toilet, sink and bathing facility.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Iowa may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
