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Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING

Section O108

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.

O108.1 Minimum loft area and dimensions.

Lofts used as a sleeping or living space shall meet the minimum area and dimension requirements of Sections O108.1.1 through O108.1.3.

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.

100735044

APPENDIX O

O108.1.1 Minimum area. Lofts shall have a floor area of not less than 35 square feet (3.25 m 2 ).

O108.1.2 Minimum dimensions. Lofts shall be not less than 5 feet (1524 mm) in any horizontal dimension.

O108.1.3 Height effect on loft area. Portions of a loft with a sloping ceiling measuring less than 3 feet (914 mm) from the finished floor to the finished ceiling shall not be con- sidered as contributing to the minimum required area for the loft.

Exception : Under gable roofs with a minimum slope of 6:12, portions of a loft with a sloping ceiling measuring less than 16 inches (406 mm) from the finished floor to the finished ceiling shall not be considered as contrib- uting to the minimum required area for the loft.

O108.2 Loft access.

The access to and primary egress from lofts shall be any type described in Sections O108.2.1 through O108.2.4.

O108.2.1 Stairways. Stairways accessing lofts shall com- ply with the California Residential Code or with Sections O108.2.1.1 through O108.2.1.6.

O108.2.1.1 Width. Stairways accessing a loft shall not be less than 17 inches (432 mm) in clear width at or above the handrail. The minimum width below the handrail shall be not less than 20 inches (508 mm).

O108.2.1.2 Headroom. The headroom in stairways accessing a loft shall be not less than 74 inches (1880 mm), as measured vertically, from a sloped line con- necting the tread or landing platform nosings in the middle of their width.

O108.2.1.3 Treads and risers. Risers for stairs access- ing a loft shall be not less than 7 inches (178 mm) and not more than 12 inches (305 mm) in height. Tread depth and riser height shall be calculated in accor- dance with one of the following formulas:

1. The tread depth shall be 20 inches (508 mm) minus 4/3 of the riser height, or

2. The riser height shall be 15 inches (381 mm) minus 3/4 of the tread depth.

O108.2.1.4 Landing platforms. The top step of stair- ways accessing lofts shall be constructed as a landing platform where the loft ceiling height is less than 74 inches (1880 mm). The landing platform shall be 18 inches (457 mm) to 22 inches (559 mm) in depth mea- sured from the nosing of the landing platform to the edge of the loft, and 16 inches (406 mm) to 18 inches (457 mm) in height measured from the landing platform to the loft floor.

O108.2.1.5 Handrails. Handrails shall comply with the California Residential Code, Section R311.7.8.

O108.2.1.6 Stairway guards. Guards at open sides of stairways shall comply with the California Residential Code, Section R312.1.

O108.2.2 Ladders. Ladders accessing lofts shall comply with Sections O108.2.2.1 and O108.2.2.2.

O108.2.2.1 Size and capacity. Ladders accessing lofts shall have a rung width of not less than 12 inches (305

mm), and 10 inches (254 mm) to 14 inches (356 mm) spacing between rungs. Ladders shall be capable of supporting a 200 pound (90.7 kg) load on any rung. Rung spacing shall be uniform within 3 /8 inch (9.5 mm). O108.2.2.2 Incline. Ladders shall be installed at 70 to 80 degrees from horizontal.

O108.2.3 Alternating tread devices. Alternating tread devices are acceptable as allowed by the enforcing agency.

O108.2.4 Loft guards. Loft guards shall be located along the open side of lofts. Loft guards shall not be less than 36 inches (914 mm) in height or one-half of the clear height to the ceiling, whichever is less. Loft guards shall not have openings from the walking surface to the required guard height that allow passage of a sphere 4 inches (102 mm) in diameter.

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▸Contents — California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
California Building Code (Title 24, Part 2)
  1. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS
  2. Appendix G — FLOOD-RESISTANT
  3. Appendix L — EARTHQUAKE RECORDING
  4. Appendix M — TSUNAMI-GENERATED
  5. Chapter 1 — SCOPE AND ADMINISTRATION
  6. Chapter 3 — OCCUPANCY CLASSIFICATION AND USE
  7. Chapter 4 — SPECIAL DETAILED REQUIREMENTS BASED
  8. Chapter 5 — GENERAL BUILDING HEIGHTS AND AREAS
  9. Chapter 6 — TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION
  10. Chapter 7 — FIRE AND SMOKE PROTECTION FEATURES
  11. Chapter 7A — MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION
  12. Chapter 8 — INTERIOR FINISHES
  13. Chapter 9 — FIRE PROTECTION AND LIFE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  14. Chapter 10 — MEANS OF EGRESS
  15. Chapter 11A — HOUSING ACCESSIBILITY
  16. Chapter 11B — ACCESSIBILITY TO PUBLIC BUILDINGS, PUBLIC ACCOMM…
  17. Chapter 12 — INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
  18. Chapter 14 — EXTERIOR WALLS
  19. Chapter 15 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES AND ROOFTOP STRUCTURES
  20. Chapter 16 — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  21. Chapter 16A — STRUCTURAL DESIGN
  22. Chapter 17 — SPECIAL INSPECTIONS AND TESTS
  23. Chapter 18 — SOILS AND FOUNDATIONS
  24. Chapter 19 — CONCRETE
  25. Chapter 20 — ALUMINUM
  26. Chapter 21 — MASONRY
  27. Chapter 22 — STEEL
  28. Chapter 23 — WOOD
  29. Chapter 24 — GLASS AND GLAZING
  30. Chapter 25 — GYPSUM BOARD, GYPSUM PANEL PRODUCTS AND PLASTER
  31. Chapter 26 — PLASTIC
  32. Chapter 27 — ELECTRICAL
  33. Chapter 28 — MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
  34. Chapter 30 — ELEVATORS AND CONVEYING SYSTEMS
  35. Chapter 31 — SPECIAL CONSTRUCTION
  36. Chapter 31B — PUBLIC POOLS
  37. Chapter 31C — RADIATION
  38. Chapter 31D — FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS
  39. Chapter 31F — MARINE OIL TERMINALS
  40. Chapter 32 — ENCROACHMENTS INTO THE PUBLIC RIGHT-OF-WAY
  41. Chapter 33 — SAFEGUARDS DURING CONSTRUCTION
  42. Chapter 35 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  43. Appendix A — EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS
  44. Appendix B — BOARD OF APPEALS
  45. Appendix C — GROUP U – AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS
  46. Appendix D — FIRE DISTRICTS
  47. Appendix F — RODENTPROOFING
  48. Appendix H — SIGNS
  49. Appendix I — PATIO COVERS
  50. Appendix J — GRADING
  51. Appendix K — GROUP R-3 AND GROUP R-3.1 OCCUPANCIES
  52. Appendix N — REPLICABLE BUILDINGS
  53. ▸Appendix O — EMERGENCY HOUSING
    Overview
    1. Section O101
    2. Section O102
    3. Section O103
    4. Section O104
    5. Section O105
    6. Section O106
    7. Section O107
    8. Section O108
    9. Section O109
    10. Section O110

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