DESIGN STANDARDS

SJ-MC tit. 5, ch. 5.09, pt. 4

in effect

San José Municipal Code § 5.09.400 Standards for emergency bridge housing community facilities.

5.09.400 - Standards for emergency bridge housing community facilities. A. Common Use Kitchens and Food Facilities. Where occupants of dependent units are permitted or required to cook for themselves, a separate area shall be equipped and maintained as a common use kitchen. Refrigerated storage shall be provided for safe storage of food. In the event that a third party is preparing, serving or storing food, that party must comply with all applicable food safety regulations. B. Toilet and Bathing Facilities. When dependent units are used as emergency housing, the emergency housing site shall be provided with at least one toilet and one bathing facility for every 15 occupants of each gender. The Authority Having Jurisdiction may permit different types and ratios of toilet and bathing facilities. The approval shall be based upon a finding that the type and ratio of toilet and bathing facilities are sufficient to process the anticipated volume of sewage and waste water, while maintaining sanitary conditions for the occupants of the emergency housing. Bathing facilities shall be provided with heating equipment which shall be capable of maintaining a temperature of 70 degrees F (21.0 degrees Celsius) within such facilities. Lavatories with running water shall be installed and maintained in the toilet facilities or adjacent to the toilet facilities. C. Garbage, waste and rubbish disposal. All garbage, kitchen waste and rubbish shall be deposited in approved covered receptacles, which shall be emptied when filled and the contents shall be disposed of in a sanitary manner acceptable to the Authority Having Jurisdiction. D. Drinking water. Potable drinking water shall be provided for all occupants of emergency housing. (Ord. 30199.)

San José Municipal Code § 5.09.410 Standards for emergency sleeping cabins.

5.09.410 - Standards for emergency sleeping cabins. A. General. Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall contain no plumbing or gas service and shall have an interior floor area of not less than 70 square feet (6.5 m 2 ) for one occupant. Where more than one person occupies the cabin, the required floor area shall be increased at the rate of 50 square feet (4.65 m 2 ) for each occupant in excess of one. The interior floor area shall not exceed 400 square feet (37 m 2 ). B. Live loads. Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall be designed to resist intrusion of wind, rain, and to support the following live loads: 1. Floor live loads not less than 40 pounds per square foot (1.92 kPa) of floor area. 2. Horizontal live loads not less than 15 pounds per square foot (718 Pa) of vertical wall and roof area. 3. Roof live loads not less than 20 pounds per square foot (958 Pa) of horizontal roof area. C. Minimum ceiling height. Habitable space and hallways in Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall have a ceiling height of not less than 80 inches (2032 mm). Bathrooms, toilet rooms, and kitchens, if provided, shall have a ceiling height of not less than 76 inches (1930 mm). Obstructions shall not extend below these minimum ceiling heights including beams, girders, ducts, lighting and other obstructions. D. Means of egress. Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall be provided with at least two forms of egress placed remotely from each other. One form of egress may be an egress window complying with subsection E, Egress window, below. E. Egress window. The bottom of the clear opening of the egress window shall not be more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor. The egress window shall have a minimum net clear opening height of 24 inches (610 mm), and a minimum net clear opening width of 20 inches (508 mm). The egress window shall have a minimum net clear opening area of 5 square feet (0.465 m 2 ). F. Electrical. Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall be provided with all of the following installed in compliance with the California Electrical Code: 1. Continuous source of electricity. Exception: The source of electricity may be solar power, other renewable energy or emergency generator(s). 2. At least one interior lighting fixture. 3. Electrical heating equipment listed for residential use and a dedicated power source for the electrical heating equipment. 4. At least one GFCI-protected receptacle outlet for use by the occupant(s). G. Ventilation. Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall be provided with means of ventilation (natural and/or mechanical) allowing for adequate air replacement, as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. H. Smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarms. Emergency Sleeping Cabins shall be provided with at least one smoke alarm installed in accordance with the California Residential Code, Section R314 and one carbon monoxide alarm installed in accordance with the California Residential Code, Section R315. A single dual function alarm will meet this requirement. I. Privacy Lock. Each Emergency Sleeping Cabin shall have a privacy lock on each entrance door and all windows. (Ord. 30199.)

San José Municipal Code § 5.09.420 Standards for other emergency housing.

5.09.420 - Standards for other emergency housing. A. Existing Buildings for Emergency Housing. Existing residential and nonresidential buildings or structures shall be permitted to be used as emergency housing, and emergency housing facilities provided such buildings or structures comply with the building code provisions and/or other regulations in effect at the time of original construction and/or alteration. Existing buildings or structures used as emergency housing shall not become or continue to be substandard buildings, as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. New additions, change of occupancy and alterations to existing buildings shall comply with the requirements of the California Building Standards Code effective at the time of addition, alteration, or change of occupancy, except to the extent subsection B applies. B. Existing Buildings During Shelter Crisis. When existing residential and nonresidential buildings or structures occupied as an Emergency Bridge Housing Community during a shelter crisis, the provisions of subsection A shall apply except that: (i) the new construction requirements of the California Building Standards Code shall apply only to and/or within the specific area of the addition or alteration and (ii) changes in occupancy shall not mandate compliance with the new construction requirements of the California Building Standards Code, provided the new occupancy meets the minimum fire and safety requirements as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction, including the requirements of Section 5.09.430. C. Emergency Transportable Units. Emergency transportable units shall be permitted to be used as emergency housing, emergency housing facilities and for emergency bridge housing communities. Any alteration of such units shall be approved by the Department of Housing and Community Development, except where copies of the alteration plans have been submitted to the Department of Housing and Community Development for review, and when such alteration and use is determined by the Building Official and City Fire Marshal to be compliant with applicable fire and life safety provisions set forth in this Chapter. (Ord. 30199.)

San José Municipal Code § 5.09.430 Local standards for other emergency housing.

5.09.430 - Local standards for other emergency housing. A. Lighting. Buildings or structures used for emergency housing shall be provided with natural light by means of exterior glazed openings in accordance with Section 1205.2 of the California Building Code, or shall be provided with artificial light in accordance with Section 1205.3 of the California Building Code. B. Ventilation. Buildings or structures used for emergency housing shall be provided with natural ventilation in accordance with Section 1203.5 of the California Building Code, or mechanical ventilation in accordance with the California Mechanical Code. C. Egress. Buildings or structures used for emergency housing shall be provided with means of egress complying with Chapter 10 of the California Building Code, unless modified as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. D. Emergency escape and rescue. Each area of a building or structure used for sleeping purposes in emergency housing shall be provided with an emergency escape and rescue opening in accordance with Section 1030 of the California Building Code, unless modified else as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. E. Smoke alarms. Buildings or structures used for emergency housing, which provide sleeping accommodations, shall be equipped with single station battery powered smoke alarms installed in accordance with the location requirements of Section 907.2.11 of the California Fire Code, unless modified as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. F. Carbon monoxide alarms. Buildings or structures used for emergency housing, which provide sleeping accommodations, and are equipped with fuel-burning appliances shall be provided with carbon monoxide detection in accordance with Section 915 of the California Fire Code, unless modified as determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction. (Ord. 30199.)

Source: City of San José, Municipal Code (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/ca/san_jose/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=TIT5HO_CH5.09EMBRHO_PT4DESTFetched: 11/1/2026