New York A 10844: Establishes minimum regulations for the design and construction of new homes to provide visitability to such homes by persons with disabilities

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A10844 Summary:

BILL NOA10844 

&nbsp

SAME ASNo Same As

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SPONSORSantabarbara

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COSPNSR

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MLTSPNSR

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Add Art 15-A §§480 - 484, RP L

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Requires access to new homes by persons with disabilities.

Go to top A10844 Actions:

BILL NOA10844 

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04/06/2026referred to housing

Go to topA10844 Committee&nbspVotes:

Go to topA10844 Floor&nbspVotes:

There are no Assembly votes for this bill in this legislative session.

Go to topA10844 Text:

 STATE OF NEW YORK
 ________________________________________________________________________

 10844

 IN ASSEMBLY

 April 6, 2026
 ___________

 Introduced by M. of A. SANTABARBARA -- read once and referred to the
 Committee on Housing

 AN ACT to amend the real property law, in relation to the visitability
 of new homes by persons with disabilities

 The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
 bly, do enact as follows:

 1 Section 1. The real property law is amended by adding a new article
 2 15-A to read as follows:
 3 ARTICLE 15-A
 4 VISITABILITY OF NEW CONSTRUCTION
 5 Section 480. Purpose.
 6 481. Applicability of new construction.
 7 482. Visitability requirement.
 8 483. Exclusion.
 9 484. Enforcement.
 10 § 480. Purpose. The purpose of this article is to establish minimum
 11 regulations for the design and construction of new homes to provide
 12 visitability to such homes by persons with disabilities.
 13 § 481. Applicability of new construction. Any new dwelling unit which
 14 was designed, constructed, or commissioned, contracted or otherwise
 15 arranged for design or construction, by any person or entity who, at any
 16 time during the commissioning design or construction, received New York
 17 state or federal financial assistance for such design or construction
 18 shall comply with the provisions of this article. State financial
 19 assistance shall not include loans backed by the state of New York mort-
 20 gage agency (SONYMA). Federal financial assistance shall not include
 21 loans backed by federal national mortgage association (Fannie Mae) or
 22 federal housing administration (FHA) financing or other mortgage loans
 23 backed by a federal mortgage loan program. For purposes of this
 24 section, the term "dwelling unit" shall mean a detached single family
 25 home, a ground floor unit in a town house, or a ground floor unit in a
 26 building of three or fewer dwelling units which is designed as, or
 27 intended for occupancy as a residence.

 EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
 [ ] is old law to be omitted.
 LBD02488-02-6

 A. 10844 2

 1 § 482. Visitability requirement. The design and construction of a new
 2 dwelling unit shall comply with the following requirements:
 3 1. Accessible entrance. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of
 4 this subdivision, the ground level of such dwelling unit shall contain
 5 at least one entrance to the dwelling unit that:
 6 (i) is accessible to, and usable by, people with disabilities such
 7 that all rooms on the level are connected by an accessible route;
 8 (ii) does not contain any steps or any door threshold that exceeds
 9 one-half inch in height; and
 10 (iii) is located on a continuous unobstructed path from the public
 11 street or driveway that serves the unit, which path at no point has a
 12 slope exceeding one inch in rise for every twelve inches in length, has
 13 a width of not less than thirty-six inches and has a cross slope not
 14 greater than two percent of the width. Such unobstructed path shall be
 15 able to be negotiated by a person and may include curb ramps, parking
 16 access aisles, walks, and ramps.
 17 (b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall not
 18 apply to a dwelling unit if:
 19 (i) the finished grade of the site is too steep to provide a path
 20 having a slope of one inch in rise for every twelve inches in length at
 21 the front, side, or back of the unit;
 22 (ii) there is no driveway serving the unit; and
 23 (iii) there is no alley or other roadway capable of providing vehicu-
 24 lar access to the rear or side of the unit.
 25 2. Accessible interior doors. All doors that are designed to allow
 26 passage within the ground level of such dwelling unit shall have an
 27 unobstructed opening of at least thirty-six