Disentangles three different bodies of accessibility law — federal ADA, federal Fair Housing Act, and California Building Code Chapter 11A vs. 11B — that practitioners and clients commonly conflate.
Explains why most multifamily housing is not actually subject to the ADA, and why "ADA-compliant" is usually the wrong term for what's being described.
building code
The California Building Code's term "interior exit stairway" describes a regulatory category, not a physical enclosure. Buildings throughout San Diego use exit stairs that are open along their walls, open at the top, or both — and the code permits it.
California's 'interior exit stairway' is a regulatory category, not a physical enclosure. San Diego stairs routinely qualify while open to outdoor air.
Apr 28, 2026 · 8 min read
building code
Why Type V apartment buildings often appear to have more stories than the four-story cap — mezzanines, what they require, and why they're underused.
Apr 28, 2026 · 1 min read
ADU
State ADU Law forecloses the most common reason cities deny permits on lots with older structures. The rule is bright-line; the enforcement record shows how often it gets ignored.
California Government Code §66314(d)(3) prohibits local agencies from denying ADU permits because of pre-existing nonconforming zoning conditions on the lot. The rule is broad, HCD interprets it broadly, and the enforcement record against non-compliant jurisdictions is documented. Practitioners working with older lots — particularly the multifamily lots that SB 1211 just opened up — should know what the rule does and doesn't reach.
May 3, 2026 · 9 min read