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Appendix CJ — EMERGENCY HOUSING

Section CJ103 — EMERGENCY HOUSING

2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5) · 2025 edition · updated 2026-07-27 · California

Italicized text is a California amendment to the model code, as printed in the official publication.

CJ103.1 General.

Emergency sleeping cabins, emergency transportable housing units, membrane structures and tents constructed and/or assembled in accordance with this appendix, shall be occupied only during declaration of state of emergency, local emergency or shelter crisis.

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.

APPENDIX CJ — EMERGENCY HOUSING

Buildings and structures constructed in accordance with the California Building Standards Code, used as emergency housing, shall be permitted to be permanently occupied.

CJ103.2 Existing buildings.

Existing residential and nonresidential buildings or structures shall be permitted to be used as emergency housing and emergency housing facilities provided such buildings or structures comply with the building code provisions and/or other regulations in effect at the time of original construction and/or alteration. Existing buildings or structures used as emergency housing shall not become or continue to be substandard buildings, as determined by the enforcing agency.

CJ103.2.1 New additions, alterations and change of occupancy. New additions, alterations and change of occupancy to existing buildings shall comply with the requirements of the California Building Standards Code effective at the time of addition, alteration or change of occupancy. The requirements shall apply only to and/or within the specific area of the addition, alteration or change of

occupancy.

Exception: Existing buildings and structures used for emergency housing and emergency housing facilities may not be required to comply with the California Energy Code, as determined by the enforcing agency.

CJ103.3 Occupant load.

Except as otherwise stated in this appendix, the maximum occupant load allowed in buildings and structures used as emergency housing shall be determined by the enforcing agency, but the interior floor area shall not be less than 70 square feet (6.5 m [2] ) for one occupant. Where more than one person occupies the building/structure, 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.

Exceptions:

1. Tents.

2. Recreational vehicles and park trailers designed for human habitation that meet the requirements in the Health and Safety Code, Sections 18009.3 and 18010, as applicable. 3. For emergency housing, including emergency sleeping cabins, the minimum interior floor area may be reduced to 53 square feet (4.9 m [2] ) if the enforcing agency determines that 53 square feet (4.9 m [2] ) is adequate space for a single-occupancy sleep- ing unit.

CJ103.4 Fire and life safety requirements not addressed in this appendix.

If not otherwise addressed in this appendix, fire and life safety measures, including, but not limited to, means of egress, fire separation, fire sprinklers, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, shall be determined and enforced by the enforcing agency.

CJ103.5 Privacy.

Emergency housing shall be provided with a privacy lock on each entrance door and all windows for use by the occupants.

CJ103.6 Heating.

All sleeping areas shall be provided with adequate heating as determined by the enforcing agency.

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▸ Contents — 2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5)
2025 California Residential Code (Title 24, Part 2.5)
  1. Chapter 1 — ADMINISTRATION
  2. Chapter 2 — DEFINITIONS
  3. Chapter 3 — BUILDING PLANNING
  4. Chapter 4 — FOUNDATIONS
  5. Chapter 5 — FLOORS
  6. Chapter 6 — WALL CONSTRUCTION
  7. Chapter 7 — WALL COVERING
  8. Chapter 8 — ROOF-CEILING CONSTRUCTION
  9. Chapter 9 — ROOF ASSEMBLIES
  10. Chapter 10 — CHIMNEYS AND FIREPLACES
  11. Chapter 44 — REFERENCED STANDARDS
  12. Appendix AA — BOARD OF APPEALS
  13. Appendix AB — PERMIT FEES
  14. Appendix AC — RESERVED
  15. Appendix BA — RESERVED
  16. Appendix BB — TINY HOUSES
  17. Appendix BC — RESERVED
  18. Appendix BD — RESERVED
  19. Appendix BE — RADON CONTROL METHODS
  20. Appendix BF — PATIO COVERS
  21. Appendix BG — SOUND TRANSMISSION
  22. Appendix BH — AUTOMATIC VEHICULAR GATES
  23. Appendix BI — LIGHT STRAW-CLAY CONSTRUCTION
  24. Appendix BJ — STRAWBALE CONSTRUCTION
  25. Appendix BK — COB CONSTRUCTION (MONOLITHIC ADOBE)
  26. Appendix BL — HEMP-LIME (HEMPCRETE) CONSTRUCTION
  27. Appendix BM — 3D-PRINTED BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
  28. Appendix BN — EXTENDED PLATE WALL CONSTRUCTION
  29. Appendix BO — EXISTING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES
  30. Appendix CA — RESERVED
  31. Appendix CB — RESERVED
  32. Appendix CC — RESERVED
  33. Appendix CD — RESERVED
  34. Appendix CE — RESERVED
  35. Appendix CF — RESERVED
  36. Appendix CG — NONSEWERED SANITATION SYSTEMS
  37. Appendix CH — PRIVATE SEWAGE DISPOSAL
  38. Appendix CI — SWIMMING POOL SAFETY ACT
  39. ▸ Appendix CJ — EMERGENCY HOUSING
    Overview
    1. Section CJ101 — GENERAL
    2. Section CJ102 — DEFINITIONS
    3. Section CJ103 — EMERGENCY HOUSING
    4. Section CJ104 — EMERGENCY SLEEPING CABINS
    5. Section CJ105 — EMERGENCY TRANSPORTABLE HOUSING UNITS
    6. Section CJ106 — TENTS AND MEMBRANE STRUCTURES
    7. Section CJ107 — ACCESSIBILITY
    8. Section CJ108 — LOFTS IN EMERGENCY HOUSING
    9. Section CJ109 — LOCATION, MAINTENANCE AND IDENTIFICATION
    10. Section CJ110 — EMERGENCY HOUSING FACILITIES
  40. Appendix CK — AREAS PROTECTED BY THE FACILITIES OF THE CENTRAL…

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