24 CFR § 9.103 - Definitions.

For purposes of this part:

Accessible: (1) When used with respect to the design, construction, or alteration of a facility or a portion of a facility other than an individual dwelling unit, means that the facility or portion of the facility when designed, constructed or altered, complies with applicable accessibility standards and can be approached, entered, and used by individuals with physical disabilities. The phrase “accessible to and usable by” is synonymous with accessible.

(2) When used with respect to the design, construction, or alteration of an individual dwelling unit, means that the unit is located on an accessible route and, when designed, constructed, altered or adapted, complies with applicable accessibility standards, and can be approached, entered, and used by individuals with physical disabilities. A unit that is on an accessible route and is adaptable and otherwise in compliance with the standards set forth in § 9.151 is “accessible” within the meaning of this definition. When a unit in an existing facility which is being made accessible as a result of alterations is intended for use by a specific qualified individual with disabilities (e.g., a current occupant of such unit or of another unit under the control of the same agency, or an applicant on a waiting list), the unit will be deemed accessible if it meets the requirements of applicable standards that address the particular disability or impairment of such person.

Accessible route means a continuous unobstructed path connecting accessible elements and spaces of a building or facility. Interior accessible routes may include corridors, floors, ramps, elevators, lifts, and clear floor space at fixtures. Exterior accessible routes may include parking access aisles, curb ramps, crosswalks at vehicular ways, walks, ramps and lifts.

ADA means the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 through 12213)

ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) means the Accessibility Guidelines issued under the ADA, and which are codified in the Appendix to 39 CFR part 1191.

Adaptability means the ability of certain building, spaces and elements, such as kitchen counters, sinks, and grab bars, to be added or altered, to accommodate the needs of persons with or without disabilities, or to accommodate the needs of persons with different types or degrees of disability. For example, in a unit adaptable for a person with impaired hearing, the wiring for visible emergency alarms may be installed but the alarms need not be installed until such time as the unit is made ready for occupancy by a person with impaired hearing.

Agency means the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Alteration means a change to a building or facility or its permanent fixtures or equipment that affects or could affect the usability of the building or facility or part thereof. Alterations include, but are not limited to, remodeling, renovation, rehabilitation, reconstruction, historic restoration, changes or rearrangements of the structural parts and changes or rearrangements in the plan configuration of walls and full-height partitions. Normal maintenance, re-roofing, painting, or wallpapering or changes to mechanical and electrical systems are not alterations unless they affect the usability of the building or facility.

Assistant Attorney General means the Assistant Attorney General, Civil Rights Division, United States Department of Justice.

Assistant Secretary means the Assistant Secretary of Housing and Urban Development for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

Auxiliary aids means services or devices that enable persons with impaired sensory, manual, or communication skills to have an equal opportunity to participate in, and enjoy the benefits of, programs or activities conducted by the agency. For example, auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired vision include readers, Brailled materials, audio recordings, and other similar services and devices. Auxiliary aids useful for persons with impaired hearing include telephone handset amplifiers, telephones compatible with hearing aids, telecommunication devices for deaf persons (TDD's), interpreters, note takers, written materials, and other similar services and devices.

Complete complaint means a written statement that contains the complainant's name and address and describes the agency's alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the agency of the nature and date of the alleged violation of section 504. It shall be signed by the complainant or by someone authorized to do so on his or her behalf. Complaints filed on behalf of classes or third parties shall describe or identify (by name, if possible) the alleged victims of discrimination.

Current illegal use of drugs means illegal use of drugs that occurred recently enough to justify a reasonable belief that a person's drug use is current or that continuing use is a real and ongoing problem.

Drug means a controlled substance, as defined in schedules I through V of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812).

Facility means all or any portion of buildings, structures, site improvements, complexes, equipment, roads, walks, passageways, parking lots, rolling stock or other conveyances, or other real or personal property located on a site.

Historic properties means those properties that are listed or are eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, or such properties designated as historic under a statute of the appropriate State or local government body.

Illegal use of drugs means the use of one or more drugs, the possession or distribution of which is unlawful under the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812). The term “illegal use of drugs” does not include the use of a drug taken under supervision by a licensed health care professional, or other uses authorized by the Controlled Substances Act or other provisions of Federal law.

Individual with disabilities means any person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. As used in this definition, the phrase:

(1) “Physical or mental impairment” includes:

(i) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: Neurological; musculoskeletal; special sense organs; respiratory, including speech organs; cardiovascular; reproductive; digestive; genito-urinary; hemic and lymphatic; skin; and endocrine; or

(ii) Any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities. The term “physical or mental impairment” includes, but is not limited to, such diseases and conditions as orthopedic, visual, speech, and hearing impairments, cerebral palsy, autism, epilepsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Human Immunodeficiency Virus disease (symptomatic or asymptomatic), mental retardation, emotional illness, drug addiction and alcoholism.

(2) The term “individual with disabilities” does not include:

(i) An individual who is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs, when the agency acts on the basis of such use. This exclusion, however, does not exclude an individual with disabilities who—

(A) Has successfully completed a supervised drug rehabilitation program, and is no longer engaging in the illegal use of drugs, or has otherwise been rehabilitated successfully, and is no longer engaging in such use;

(B) Is participating in a supervised rehabilitation program, and is no longer engaging in such use; or

(C) Is erroneously regarded as engaging in such use, but is not engaging in such use.

(ii) Except that it shall not violate this part for the agency to adopt or administer reasonable policies and procedures, including but not limited to drug testing, designed to ensure than an individual described in paragraphs (2)(i) (A) and (B) of this definition is no longer engaging in the illegal use of drugs.

(iii) Nothing in paragraph (2) of this definition shall be construed to encourage, prohibit, restrict or authorize the conduct of testing for illegal use of drugs.

(iv) The agency shall not deny health services provided under titles I, II and III of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 through 777f) to an individual with disabilities on the basis of that individual's current illegal use of drugs, if the individual is otherwise entitled to such services.

(3) For purposes of employment, the term “individual with disabilities” does not include:

(i) An individual who has a currently contagious disease or infection and who, by reason of such disease or infection—

(A) Has been determined, in accordance with the provisions of § 9.131, to pose a direct threat to the health or safety of other individuals, which threat cannot be eliminated or reduced by reasonable accommodation, or

(B) Is unable to perform the essential duties of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation; or

(ii) An individual who is an alcoholic and whose current use of alcohol prevents him or her from performing the duties of the job in question or whose employment would constitute a direct threat to the property or the safety of others by reason of his or her current alcohol abuse.

(4) “Major life activities” means functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

(5) “Has a record of such an impairment” means has a history of, or has been misclassified as having, a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

(6) “Is regarded as having an impairment” means—

(i) Has a physical or mental impairment that does not substantially limit major life activities but is treated by the agency as constituting such a limitation;

(ii) Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits major life activities only as a result of the attitudes of others toward such impairment; or

(iii) Has none of the impairments defined in paragraph (1) of this definition but is treated by the agency as having such an impairment.

Multifamily housing project means a project containing five or more dwelling units.

Official or Responsible Official means the Assistant Secretary of HUD for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.

PDP housing facility means a housing facility administered under HUD's Property Disposition Program.

Project means the whole of one or more residential structures and appurtenant structures, equipment, roads, walks, and parking lots which are covered by a single mortgage or contract or otherwise treated as a whole by the agency for processing purposes, whether or not located on a common site.

Property Disposition Program (PDP) means the HUD program which administers the housing facilities that are either owned by the Secretary or where, even though the Secretary has not obtained title, the Secretary is mortgagee-in-possession. Such properties are deemed to be in the possession or control of the agency.

Qualified individual with disabilities means:

(1) With respect to any agency non-employment program or activity under which a person is required to perform services or to achieve a level of accomplishment, an individual with disabilities who meets the essential eligibility requirements and who can achieve the purpose of the program or activity without modifications in the program or activity that the agency can demonstrate would result in a fundamental alteration in its nature; or

(2) With respect to any other agency non-employment program or activity, an individual with disabilities who meets the essential eligibility requirements for participation in, or receipt of benefits from, that program or activity.

(3) “Essential eligibility requirements” include stated eligibility requirements such as income, as well as other explicit or implicit requirements inherent in the nature of the program or activity, such as requirements that an occupant of a PDP multifamily housing facility be capable of meeting selection criteria and be capable of complying with all obligations of occupancy with or without supportive services provided by persons other than the agency.

(4) “Qualified person with disabilities” as that term is defined for purposes of employment in 29 CFR 1613.702(f), which is made applicable to this part by § 9.140.

Replacement cost of the completed facility means the current cost of construction and equipment for a newly constructed housing facility of the size and type being altered. Construction and equipment costs do not include the cost of land, demolition, site improvements, non-dwelling facilities and administrative costs for project development activities.

Secretary means the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

Section 504 means section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794). As used in this part, section 504 applies only to programs or activities conducted by the agency and not to federally assisted programs.

Substantial impairment means a significant loss of the integrity of finished materials, design quality, or special character resulting from a permanent alteration.

UFAS means the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, which implement the accessibility standards required by the Architectural Barriers Act (42 U.S.C. 4151 through 4157), and which are established at 24 CFR part 40, appendix A for residential structures, and 41 CFR 101–19.600 through 101–19.607, and appendix A to these sections, for non-residential structures.