| (a) Resident bedrooms.
(1) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure a resident bedroom or living unit is not located on a
floor that is below finished ground level.
(2) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure bedroom-usable floor space is not less than 80 square
feet for a bedroom housing one resident and not less than 60 square
feet per resident for a bedroom housing multiple residents, unless
otherwise permitted by paragraphs (3) and (4) of this subsection.
Portions of a bedroom that are less than eight feet in the smallest
dimension cannot be included in the measurement of bedroom usable
floor space, unless approved by HHSC.
(3) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
containing individual living units that include living space for the
residents in addition to their bedrooms may reduce the bedroom usable
floor space for a bedroom housing multiple residents within a living
unit by up to 10 percent of the required bedroom usable floor space,
as long as the minimum dimensional criteria are maintained. An existing
small Type A assisted living facility may not use this provision in
conjunction with the provision permitting the reduction of common
social-diversional areas or common dining areas found in subsection
(g)(5) of this section.
(4) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
may house no more than 50 percent of its licensed resident capacity
in bedrooms housing three or more residents. A bedroom must not house
more than four residents.
(b) Bedroom windows. An existing small Type A assisted
living facility must ensure each bedroom has at least one operable
window with outside exposure and meeting the following requirements.
(1) The window sill must be no higher than 44 inches
above the floor.
(2) The window must be operable by all residents occupying
the bedroom, from the inside, without the use of tools or special
devices.
(3) The total area of all windows in a bedroom must
not be less than eight percent of the minimum bedroom usable floor
space required by subsection (a)(2) of this section.
(4) An existing bedroom window not meeting these requirements
may be continued in service subject to approval by HHSC.
(5) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
that is not equipped with a fire sprinkler system meeting the requirements
of §553.115 of this division (relating to Fire Protection Systems
Requirements for an Existing Small Type A Assisted Living Facility)
must provide at least one window in each bedroom in the facility that,
in addition to meeting the requirements of paragraphs (1) - (4) of
this subsection, meets the following requirements:
(A) The bedroom window must meet the requirements of §553.113
of this division (relating to Means of Escape Requirements for an
Existing Small Type A Assisted Living Facility) for use as a secondary
means of escape from a resident sleeping room.
(B) The bedroom window must not be blocked by bars,
shrubs, or any obstacle that could impede evacuation.
(C) The bedroom window must provide an operable section
with a clear opening of not less than 5.7 square feet with a minimum
width of 20 inches and a minimum height of 24 inches.
(6) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
that is protected by an automatic sprinkler system meeting the requirements
of §553.115 of this division must provide an operable window
in a bedroom. The window opening size may be smaller than the minimum
size listed in paragraph (5) of this subsection but must be operable
according to the requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(c) Bedroom furnishings. When a resident does not provide
their own furnishings, an existing small Type A assisted living facility
must provide the following furnishings for each resident, which must
be maintained in good repair:
(1) a bed, including a mattress;
(2) a chair;
(3) a table or dresser; and
(4) private clothes storage space, which must have
closable doors, and drawer space for clothing and personal belongings.
(d) Arrangement of resident living units or rooms.
(1) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure all resident rooms open on an exit, corridor, living area,
or public area.
(2) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure all resident rooms are arranged for convenient resident
access to dining and recreation areas.
(e) Staff area. An existing small Type A assisted living
facility must provide a staff area on each floor of an existing small
Type A assisted living facility and in each separate building containing
resident sleeping rooms, except as permitted under paragraph (1) of
this subsection.
(1) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
that is not more than two-stories in height and is composed of separate
buildings grouped together and connected by covered walks, is not
required to provide a staff area on each floor or in each building,
provided that a staff area is located not more than 200 feet walking
distance from the farthest resident living unit.
(2) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must provide the following at each staff area:
(A) a desk or writing surface;
(B) a telephone; and
(C) a fire alarm control unit or a fire alarm annunciator
panel meeting the requirements of §553.115 of this division (relating
to Fire Protection Systems Requirements for an Existing Small Type
A Assisted Living Facility).
(f) Resident toilet and bathing facilities. An existing
small Type A assisted living facility must ensure each resident bedroom
is served by a separate, private toilet room, a connecting toilet
room, or a general toilet room.
(1) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
that houses individuals of more than one gender must provide toilet
rooms for each gender, or individual single-occupant toilet rooms
for use by any gender.
(2) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure a general toilet room or bathing room is accessible from
a corridor or public space.
(3) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure resident toilet and bathing facilities comply with the
requirements for resident-use plumbing fixtures according to §553.117
of this division (relating to Mechanical Requirements for an Existing
Small Type A Assisted Living Facility).
(g) Resident living areas.
(1) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must provide, in a common area of the facility, social-diversional
spaces with appropriate furniture. Examples of social-diversional
spaces include living rooms, day rooms, lounges, dens, game rooms,
and sunrooms.
(A) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must provide a social-diversional space with a minimum area of 120
square feet in at least one space within a common area of the facility,
regardless of the number of residents or other provisions of this
section permitting a reduction in the total minimum social-diversional
space.
(B) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure a social-diversional space has one or more exterior windows
providing a view of the outside.
(C) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure the total space for social-diversional area provides an
area of at least 15 square feet for each resident in the licensed
capacity of the facility. No space smaller than 120 square feet in
area can be counted toward meeting this requirement.
(2) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must provide a dining area with appropriate furniture.
(A) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must provide a dining space with a minimum area of 120 square feet
in at least one space within a common area of the facility, regardless
of the number of residents or other provisions of this section permitting
a reduction in the total minimum dining space.
(B) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure a dining space has one or more exterior windows providing
a view of the outside.
(C) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure a dining area is accessible from resident living units
or bedrooms via a covered path.
(D) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
must ensure the total space for dining areas provides an area of at
least 15 square feet for each resident in the licensed capacity of
the facility. No space smaller than 120 square feet in area can be
counted toward meeting this requirement.
(3) An existing small Type A assisted living facility
may provide a total living and dining area combined in a single or
interconnecting space where the minimum area of the combined space
is at least 240 square feet.
Cont'd... |
