Multifamily projects such as apartments and condos typically fall under IBC Group R-2 and are required to have a specific number of Type A and Type B units per IBC 2012 1107.6.2. Type A units have a higher level of accessibility than Type B units. The requirements for Type A units are identified in ANSI 117.1. The requirements for Type B units are identified in ANSI 117.1 and the Federal Fair Housing Act (FFHA) usually applies to these units as well.
According to the FFHA, in a Type B unit, if a closet is over 24” deep then a 32” clear opening must be provided unless there is shelving in the closet. If you choose to provide a closet that is 24” deep with shelving instead of the 32” clear opening, then the shelving must be accessible for a side reach. However, for most non-handicap tenants a shelf that is 24” deep or more will be less useful than an open closet. One solution is to provide a shelf that is side reach accessible and removable to comply with the FFHA and then non-handicap tenants can easily remove the shelf.
