UFAS compliance

Location: 2020 NW Northrup St, Portland, OR 97209

Dates: December 2022 – September 2023

Status: Current

The Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, or UFAS, were established in 1984 to provide rules regarding minimum elements for compliance with federal accessibility standards. Governed by the Architectural Barriers Act, UFAS compliance requires that federally funded or federally owned buildings be designed and constructed to be accessible to people with disabilities.

UFAS sets standards for the design, construction and alteration of buildings to make sure that handicapped people can easily access them. To be in compliance, projects must ensure a building has accessible routes, entrances, and features like restrooms, parking, and signage, and while newer projects typically use the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, UFAS is still referenced for certain buildings and alterations, especially those before a specific date.

UFAS COMPLIANCE CASE STUDY:

Marshall Union Manor is a 12 story building built in 1974, with 242 total apartments. These apartments are restricted to very low income residents at least 62 years of age, and provide subsidized rent fixed at 30% of the resident’s income through HUD’s Section 8 program. 13 units at Marshall Union Manor are being rehabilitated to bring them up to current ADA standards and in accordance with UFAS compliance. 12 of the units are occupied, requiring tenant relocations of approximately 6 weeks per unit.

TENANT RELOCATION SOLUTIONS:
Peregrine Relocations has provided relocation support for tenants, housing them in residential hotels within a mile of their building. A large portion of the tenant population speaks Mandarin primarily, and it was important to many to be relocated within walking distance of the building and their community. Peregrine has provided packing, moving, and storage for their belongings, as well as help unpacking and reorganizing. Peregrine Relocations has cleared units on schedule or earlier to keep construction moving along.