Mass. accessibility codes make some major home renovations unaffordable

Massachusetts’ building codes governing handicapped accessibility are hampering renovations of old housing stock that could help remedy an affordable housing crisis, according to an editorial in the Boston Globe.

A state law meant to ensure buildings are handicapped accessible has backfired in the state’s gateway cities, “where it instead discourages homeowners from undertaking major repairs by making them prohibitively expensive,” the editorial says. “The accessibility law currently requires owners who undertake major renovations to make their entire building handicapped accessible by, for instance, widening doorways and installing elevators or chairlifts.”

This differs from federal law, which only requires areas that are being renovated to provide accessibility features. The trigger for accessibility requirements in the Bay State is based on property values, not on the actual amount of work being performed on the property. When the cost of a renovation exceeds 30% of the value of the property, the entire property must be made handicapped accessible.

This creates a “perverse” situation where lower-valued properties must comply with the code, but some higher-valued properties are exempt. “The best solution would be to unlink the formula from property values,” the editorial asserts. 

One proposal being considered by a state board would change the way certain types of upgrades—including electrical work, plumbing, sprinkler installation, energy efficiency improvements, and roof replacement—are factored into the formula that triggers accessibility upgrades. This would be an improvement, the editorial says, though not as effective as uncoupling the formula from property values.