Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING
Section O104
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2) · 2019 edition · updated 2026-09-12 · California
Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.
O104.1 General.¶
Emergency sleeping cabins shall have an interior floor area of not less than 70 square feet (6.5 m 2 ) for one occupant. Where more than one person occupies the cabin, the required floor area shall be increased at the rate of 50 square feet (4.65 m 2 ) for each occupant in excess of one. The interior floor area shall not exceed 400 square feet (37 m 2 ), excluding lofts.
O104.2 Live loads.¶
Emergency sleeping cabins shall be designed to resist intrusion of wind, rain, and to support the following live loads:
1. Floor live loads not less than 40 pounds per square foot (1.92 kPa) of floor area.
2. Horizontal live loads not less than 15 pounds per square foot (718 Pa) of vertical wall and roof area.
3. Roof live loads not less than 20 pounds per square foot (958 Pa) of horizontal roof area.
4. In areas where snow loads are greater than 20 pounds per square foot (958 Pa), the roof shall be designed and constructed to resist these additional loads.
O104.3 Minimum ceiling height.¶
Habitable space and hall- ways in emergency sleeping cabins shall have a ceiling height of not less than 80 inches (2032 mm). Bathrooms, toi- let rooms, and kitchens, if provided, shall have a ceiling height of not less than 76 inches (1930 mm). Obstructions
688 2019 CALIFORNIA BUILDING CODE
Copyright © 2019 ICC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Accessed by Kevin Day (kevin.day@dgs.ca.gov), (California Building Standards Commission) Order Number #100735044 on Jul 24, 2019 03:54 PM (PDT) pursuant to License Agreement with ICC. No further reproduction or distribution authorized. Single user only, copying and networking prohibited. ANY UNAUTHORIZED REPRODUCTION OR DISTRIBUTION IS A VIOLATION OF THE FEDERAL COPYRIGHT ACT AND THE LICENSE AGREEMENT, AND SUBJECT TO CIVIL AND CRIMINAL PENALTIES THEREUNDER.
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shall not extend below these minimum ceiling heights includ- ing beams, girders, ducts, lighting and other obstructions.
Exception: Ceiling heights in lofts constructed in accor- dance with Section O108 are permitted to be less than 80 inches (2032 mm).
O104.4 Means of egress.¶
Emergency sleeping cabins shall be provided with at least two forms of egress placed remotely from each other. One form of egress may be an egress window complying with Section O104.4.1. When a loft is provided, one form of egress shall be an egress win- dow complying with Section O104.4.1, provided in the loft space.
O104.4.1 Egress window. The bottom of the clear open- ing of the egress window shall not be more than 44 inches (1118 mm) above the floor. The egress window shall have a minimum net clear opening height of 24 inches (610 mm), and a minimum net clear opening width of 20 inches (508 mm). The egress window shall have a minimum net clear opening area of 5 square feet (0.465 m 2 ).
O104.5 Plumbing and gas service.¶
If an emergency sleep- ing cabin contains plumbing or gas service, it shall comply with all applicable requirements of the California Plumbing Code and the California Mechanical Code.
O104.6 Electrical.¶
Emergency sleeping cabins shall be pro- vided with all of the following installed in compliance with the California Electrical Code:
1. Continuous source of electricity.
Exception: The source of electricity may be an emergency generator or renewable source of power such as solar or wind power.
2. At least one interior lighting fixture.
3. Electrical heating equipment listed for residential use and a dedicated receptacle outlet for the electrical heating equipment.
Exception: Electrical heating equipment and a ded- icated receptacle outlet for the electrical heating equipment are not required if a nonelectrical source of heating is provided.
4. At least one GFCI-protected receptacle outlet for use by the occupant(s).
O104.7 Ventilation.¶
Emergency sleeping cabins shall be pro- vided with means of ventilation (natural and/or mechanical) allowing for adequate air replacement, as determined by the enforcing agency.
O104.8 Smoke alarms.¶
Emergency sleeping cabins shall be provided with at least one smoke alarm installed in accor- dance with the California Residential Code, Section R314.
O104.9 Carbon monoxide alarms.¶
If an emergency sleeping cabin contains a fuel-burning appliance(s) or a fireplace(s), a carbon monoxide alarm shall be installed in accordance with the California Residential Code, Section R315.
APPENDIX O
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Ask AI about this code▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
- Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
- Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
- Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
- Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
- Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
- Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
- Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
- Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
- Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
- Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
- Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
- Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
- Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
- Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
- Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
- Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
- Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
- Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
- Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
- Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
- Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
- Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
- Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
- Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
- Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
- Chapter 21 — MASONRY
- Chapter 22 — STEEL
- Chapter 23 — WOOD
- Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
- Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
- Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
- Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
- Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
- Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
- Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
- Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
- Chapter 31C — RADIATION
- Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
- Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
- Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
- Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
- Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
- Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
- Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
- Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
- Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
- Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
- Appendix H — SIGNS
- Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
- Appendix J — GRADING
- Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
- Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS