State: California

Notice of 45-day Public Comment Periods, California Building Standards Code
March 20, 2023

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is providing notice of the 45-day public comment period for the 2022 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle. HCD is proposing for adoption, of building standards that are intended for inclusion in the 2022 California Building Standards Code Supplement to be effective July 1, 2024, if adopted by the California Building Standards Commission. Proposed building standards are subject to a 45-day public comment period. (more…)

California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) Permit Requirements for Alterations or Conversions
December 12, 2022

Information Bulletin 2022-11 clarifies the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD) permitting and inspection authority for the alteration or conversion of the following units in California: (more…)

Notice of Pre-Rulemaking Opportunity to Comment on Proposed Changes to the 2022 California Building Code
September 13, 2022

Public comment period September 12, 2022 – September 23, 2022

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is providing notice of a pre-rulemaking opportunity to comment on potential changes to the 2022 California Building Standards Code as it relates to the 2022 Intervening Code Adoption Cycle. The building standards are proposed for the 2022 California Building Code (CBC), Part 2. (more…)

2022 California Building Standards Code are Effective on January 1, 2023
July 14, 2022

The 2022 California Building Standards Code (CBSC), California Code of Regulations (CCR), title 24, will be effective on January 1, 2023. As a result of the 2021 Triennial Code Adoption Cycle, the 2022 CBSC has been approved and will be published by the Commission in July 2022. The California Department of Housing and Community Development’s (HCD’s) updates (more…)

California HCD Announcement for Homeless Shelter Reporting Guidelines
May 3, 2022

Assembly Bill 362 – Homeless Shelters Reporting Guidelines

Information Bulletin 2022-02: Assembly Bill (AB) 362 Homeless Shelters Reporting Guidelines is the notification of the 2021 legislative change to California law that imposes new requirements for the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) and California cities and counties as of April 1, 2022. This IB has been developed to (more…)

2019 California Building Code Notice of 45-day public comment period
April 7, 2020

Notice of 45-day public comment period for proposed building standards of amendments to the 2019 California Building Code, Chapter 11A. The California Department of Housing and Community Development is providing notice of code changes intended for the 2019 California Building Standards Code. (more…)

California Proposed Building Standards – Housing Accessibility
February 10, 2020

Notice of Code Advisory Committee Meeting for Proposed Building Standards to the 2019 California Building Code, Chapter 11A, Housing Accessibility

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) is providing notice of proposed changes intended for the 2019 California Building Standards Code. The building standards are proposed as amendments to the 2019 California Building Code (CBC), Part 2, Chapter 11A, (more…)

Important Dates ENERGY STAR Tax Credit
January 31, 2020

As you may be aware, late last year Congress extended the $1,000 tax credit for each ENERGY STAR home completed through 2020 and made the credit retroactive to include homes completed in 2018 and 2019. During this period, we launched Version 2 of the ENERGY STAR requirements. SBRA is currently developing program rules that will apply to Version 2 homes. We will post information as it becomes available.  (more…)

California clarifies the impact of photovoltaic system requirements
January 8, 2020

Information Bulletin 2020-01 as received from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. IB2020-1 clarifies the impact of California photovoltaic (solar or PV) system requirements, effective January 1, 2020, on manufactured homes constructed to the (more…)

California Housing and Community Development: Information Bulletin
August 7, 2019

Please reference Information Bulletin 2019-03 regarding the Effective Date and Application of the 2019 California Building Standards Code. As a result of the 2018 Triennial Code Adoption Cycle, the 2019 CBSC has been approved and issued by the Commission. The 2019 California Building (more…)

California Building Standards to 2019 CA Existing Building Code for the 2018 Triennial Code Adoption Cycle
February 25, 2019

The following announcement as received from HCD. The California Building Standards Commission (CBSC), on behalf of the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), is providing notice of code changes intended for the 2019 California Building Standards Code, that were the subject of written comments from the initial 45-day public comment period that began on September 14, 2018, until 5 p.m. on October 29, 2018, (more…)

California – Division of Codes and Standards Office in Sacramento is Moving
February 25, 2019

As received from HCD. Starting March 4, the Codes and Standards Main Office will be moving from 2020 West El Camino Avenue to:

Codes and Standards Main Office

9342 Tech Center Drive, Suite 500

Sacramento, CA 95826 (more…)

California voted to adopt the 2017 National Electrical Code
January 31, 2019

On January 15-16, 2019 meeting, the California Building Standards Commission voted to adopt the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC), 2018 Uniform Plumbing and Mechanical Codes, 2018 International Existing Building Code, and the California Green Building Code (CALGreen). At their December 4-5, 2018 meeting, adopted the 2018 International Building, Residential and Fire Codes. These model codes with California amendments comprise the 2019 California Building Standards (more…)

California Draft Guidelines Released for Multifamily Housing Program
January 18, 2019

The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) has just released the draft Multifamily Housing Program (MHP) Guidelines. Senate Bill 3 (Chapter 365, Statues 2017) authorized the Veterans and Affordable Housing Bond Act of 2018 (Proposition 1) and was adopted by voters on November 6, 2018 which authorizes the issuance of bonds in the amount of $1.5 billion for the Multifamily Housing Program (MHP). Funding to assist with (more…)

California Permanent Adoption of Emergency Regulations
January 8, 2019

The Information Bulletin 2018-05 as received from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Information Bulletin 2018-05 announces the permanent adoption of emergency building standards amending the 2016 California Building Code (CBC) and the 2016 California Residential Code (CRC), effective December 7, 2018. These regulations are part of the California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Parts 2 (CBC) and 2.5 (CRC). The final approved permanent (more…)

California Green Building Standards Code
November 16, 2018

The California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) is providing notice of code changes intended for the 2019 California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen), that were the subject of written comments from the initial 45-day public comment period that was held from 9/14/18 until 5 PM on 10/29/18 for both DSA-SS/CC and HCD.   CBSC will accept written comments for at least 15 days, between November 14, 2018 and November 29, 2018. All written comments for this period must be submitted to CBSC no later than 5 p.m. on November 29, 2018. Applicable email address, postal address, and proposed modifications can be found in the link for the official notice.  (more…)

California Emergency Building Standards Read option
October 29, 2018

Please find the Information Bulletin below as received from the California Department of Housing and Community Development. Information Bulletin 2018-01 Supplement addresses the read option of emergency building standards amending the 2016 California Building Code and the 2016 California Residential Code, which extends the effective date through January 14, 2019. These emergency regulations are part of Title 24, California Code of Regulations, Parts 2 and 2.5. (more…)

California Amendments to 2016 Codes – Notice of Public Comment Period
October 12, 2018

Please find the announcement below as received from the California Department of Housing and Community Development regarding the public comment period for modifications intended for the 2016 California Building Standards. The code modifications are proposed as permanent amendments to the 2016 edition of the California Building Code, Part 2, and the California Residential Code, Part 2.5, as related to emergency housing. Public comments on the proposed building standards will be accepted during a 15-Day Comment Period. All written comments must be submitted to CBSC no later than 5 p.m. on October 23, 2018. Additional information can be found in the link below.  (more…)

Habitable Attic Egress Requirements
July 3, 2018

Please be aware of the definition and egress requirements of a habitable attic as it relates to dwellings built from the 2012 IRC. The 2009 and 2015 IRC verbiage is similar and still applicable. Attics that meet the size and ceiling height criteria of the “Habitable Attic” definition in Chapter 2 are considered habitable. This is applicable to finished and unfinished spaces. Habitable attics require a vertical access and emergency escape and rescue opening. Vertical access can be a fixed internal stair, ramp, or exterior stair. (more…)

California Building Code – Certification for Emergency Building Standards
January 10, 2018

The following notice was received from HCD. The purpose of the Information Bulletin is to announce the permanent adoption of emergency building standards regulations amending the 2016 California Building Code (CBC) and 2016 California Existing Building Code (CEBC). These regulations are currently in effect as emergency regulations through January 26, 2018. The permanent adoption of these regulations ensures that the regulations will continue to remain in effect without (more…)