STRUCTURE AND MAINTENANCE.

Dallas City Code ch. 8A, art. III

in effect

Dallas City Code § 8A-22 CONSTRUCTION, REMODELING, AND MAINTENANCE.

SEC. 8A-22. CONSTRUCTION, REMODELING, AND MAINTENANCE. (a) In general. Each licensee shall ensure the residents’ health, safety, comfort, and protection through the standards contained in this section that address the construction, remodeling, and maintenance of a boarding home facility. (b) Applicable regulations. Each boarding home facility must comply with the following codes and regulations: (1) The Dallas Development Code. [NOTE: A boarding home facility is not a zoning use and is separate from and unrelated to the lodging or boarding house use defined in Chapter 51A.] (2) The Dallas Building Code, the Dallas One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, or the Dallas Existing Building Code, as applicable. (3) The Dallas Fire Code and any other applicable federal, state, or local fire codes and standards, as amended. (4) Articles III and IV of Chapter 27, "Minimum Urban Rehabilitation Standards," of the Dallas City Code. (5) Federal, state, and local health and safety codes. (6) Federal and state accessibility regulations. (c) Interior doors. An interior door to a living space, bedroom, bathroom, or toilet room must fit the opening in which it is hung, be properly equipped with hardware, and be maintained in good working condition. Unless a resident has a disability that requires frequent check-ups by others, a door with a locking device must be provided to provide privacy to and protection of the resident. (1) Every closet door latch must be such that it can be readily opened from the inside in case of emergency. (2) Every bathroom door or door lock must permit immediate opening of the locked door in case of emergency. (d) Public pathways and stairways. A public pathway or stairway in a building must maintain a minimum unobstructed width in accordance with the Dallas Fire Code, as amended, and must be provided with a convenient light switch controlling an adequate light system. (e) Windows and exterior doors. (1) Every habitable room must have at least one window that can be easily opened, or such other device as will ventilate the room. (2) Locks that can be easily opened manually from inside must be provided on all exterior doors. (3) All windows must be capable of being opened without tools. Window openings must meet the requirements of the Dallas Building Code, Dallas Existing Building Code, the Dallas One- and Two-Family Dwelling Code, and the Dallas Fire Code, as applicable, for emergency egress. (4) The bottom of the window opening must be not more than 44 inches above the floor in accordance with the Dallas Fire Code, as amended. (5) A door, window, or emergency escape and rescue opening may be maintained that does not meet the requirements of this subsection upon the written approval of the fire code official. (f) Maintenance. (1) The licensee shall maintain the dwelling and premises in a clean and sanitary condition. (2) The licensee shall keep a boarding home facility in good repair and maintenance in a manner that will promote the health, comfort, safety, and well-being of residents. (Ord. Nos. 28706; 29753)

Dallas City Code § 8A-23 SLEEPING ROOMS.

SEC. 8A-23. SLEEPING ROOMS. (a) Sleeping space per person. Each room occupied for sleeping purposes by one occupant must contain at least 70 square feet of floor space, and every room occupied for sleeping purposes by more than one person must contain at least 50 square feet of floor space for each occupant in accordance with Section 27-15 of this code. (b) Bed spacing. If a boarding home facility has a resident with an ambulatory impairment, beds must be spaced at least three feet apart when placed side-by-side or end-to-end. (c) Ceiling height. A sleeping room must have a ceiling height of at least seven feet in accordance with Section 27-15 of this code. (d) Accessibility. A sleeping room must provide accessibility for non-ambulatory residents and residents with conditions that substantially limit ambulation or mobility. (e) Beds. (1) The licensee shall provide one bed for every resident. It is presumed that the boarding home facility has one resident for every bed present in the facility, but an inspector may consider other factors and circumstances in determining the number of residents. (2) All beds must be at least six feet long and three feet wide. (3) The licensee shall equip all beds with a bed frame, supportive springs, and a clean, unsoiled supportive mattress, all of which must be in good condition. (4) The licensee shall equip all beds provided for non-ambulatory residents or residents with an ambulatory impairment or reduced bladder or bowel function with mattress covers that prevent bodily fluids from soiling the mattress. (5) More than two levels of stacked bunk beds are prohibited. (6) The clear space above the top of the lower mattress of a double decker bunk bed and the bottom of the upper bunk must be at least 27 inches. (7) The distance from the top of the upper mattress to the ceiling must be at least 36 inches. (f) Pillows and sheets. (1) The licensee shall provide each bed with at least one pillow with a clean, unsoiled pillow case, at least two clean, unsoiled sheets, and a cover such as a blanket or quilt. (2) The licensee shall provide each resident with at least two extra, unsoiled pillow cases, sheets, and blankets. (g) Storage. (1) The licensee shall provide at least one chest of drawers in good working condition, or its equivalent, for each resident. The chest of drawers must contain a sufficient number of lockable drawers to house all necessary items of clothing and personal belongings of a resident. (2) The licensee shall provide sufficient space in each resident’s room or closet for residents to hang up clothes that are not stored in a chest of drawers. (3) Clothing may not be stored on the floor. (h) Personal hygiene items. The licensee shall provide bath towels, washcloths, soap, combs or brushes, and toothbrushes at all times in a quantity sufficient to meet the needs of residents. (i) Emergency exit. Each sleeping room must provide access to an emergency exit without passing through another sleeping room in accordance with the Dallas Fire Code, as amended. (Ord. Nos. 28706; 29753)

Dallas City Code § 8A-24 BATHROOM FACILITIES.

SEC. 8A-24. BATHROOM FACILITIES. (a) If a boarding home facility has a resident who is non-ambulatory or has an ambulatory impairment: (1) the licensee shall provide a toilet, lavatory, and bathtub or shower on each floor when not provided in an individual room; and (2) a bathroom door must have a minimum opening of 32 inches with the door open 90 degrees, measured between the face of the door and the opposite stop. (b) The licensee shall provide toilets, lavatories, and bathtubs or showers at a ratio of one toilet, one lavatory, and one bathtub or shower for each eight residents, or fraction of eight residents. (c) Toilets, lavatories, and bathtubs or showers must be accessible to residents without going outside of the building or without going through a sleeping room of another resident. (d) The licensee shall keep all bathroom facilities clean and in good repair. (e) The licensee shall ensure that all bathroom facilities are well-lighted and ventilated. (f) The licensee shall adequately supply all bathroom facilities with toilet paper, soap, and hand towels. (g) The licensee shall supply bathtubs and showers with non-slip surfaces and curtains or other safe enclosures for privacy. (Ord. Nos. 28706; 29753)

Dallas City Code § 8A-25 TELEPHONE.

SEC. 8A-25. TELEPHONE. A telephone that is connected to a land line must be available 24 hours a day, be easily accessible, and afford privacy for use by residents. A list of emergency telephone numbers, including the numbers of the Dallas Police Department, Dallas Fire-Rescue Department, ambulance, the director, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), the local mental health authority, and the Texas Information and Referral Network, must be placed in plain view on or next to the telephone and made accessible to persons who are visually or hearing impaired, as needed. (Ord. 28706)

Dallas City Code § 8A-26 LAUNDRY FACILITIES.

SEC. 8A-26. LAUNDRY FACILITIES. A washer or dryer: (1) cannot be located in the kitchen area; and (2) must be properly vented to the outside of the structure. (Ord. 28706)

Dallas City Code § 8A-27 KITCHEN.

SEC. 8A-27. KITCHEN. (a) A kitchen must be accessible to each resident without going through a sleeping room of another resident. (b) A kitchen must have a food preparation area of at least six square feet that is smooth, impermeable, free of cracks, and easily cleanable. This surface area must not be primarily used for eating. (c) If a boarding home facility has a kitchen without a dining area attached, the licensee shall provide a separate dining area of 15 square feet per resident. A kitchen with an attached dining area must be at least 100 square feet in area. (d) A kitchen must contain a sink which allows for manual dishwashing that is at least 22 inches by 27 inches by 5 inches. (e) A kitchen must contain an operational cooking stove with at least two burners fuelled by gas or electricity and an operational microwave oven. (f) A kitchen must contain at least one cabinet with a minimum of five cubic feet of storage space per resident, suitable for storage of food and utensils. (g) A kitchen must be equipped with at least one electrical outlet suitable for plugging in small kitchen appliances. (h) The licensee shall keep the kitchen in a clean and sanitary condition. (i) A kitchen must contain a refrigerator that is at least 12 cubic feet in area, is equipped with a thermometer, and is maintained in an operational, clean, and sanitary condition. A refrigerator must maintain foods at the temperatures required by Section 8A-33. (Ord. Nos. 28706; 32397)

Dallas City Code § 8A-28 DINING ROOM.

SEC. 8A-28. DINING ROOM. (a) A dining room must be accessible to residents without going through the sleeping room of another resident. (b) The minimum floor area for a dining room is 15 square feet per resident. (c) If a boarding home facility provides community meals, the licensee shall equip a dining room with one dining chair and two linear feet of dining table space for each resident. (Ord. 28706)

Source: City of Dallas, Dallas City Code and City Charter (American Legal Publishing, codelibrary.amlegal.com)URL: https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/dallas/latest/dallas_tx/0-0-0-137429Fetched: 10/26/2026