Carbon Monoxide Detectors Mandate

In January 2022, the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) released PIH Notice 2022-01 requiring the use of carbon monoxide detectors in certain units receiving federal rental assistance. This notice is to inform all owners/managers/landlords that receive Housing Assistance Payments (HAP) that compliance is mandatory no later than December 27th, 2022.

PIH Notice 2022-01 clarifies that HUD will enforce the requirements instituted by Congress requiring that all Public Housing (PH), Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Project Based Voucher (PBV) comply with the International Fire Code (IFC) 2018 standards on the installation of CO alarms or detectors by December 27, 2022.

Effective December 27, 2022, every separate building or addition to an existing building, regardless of year constructed and having a fossil-fuel-burning heater or appliance, a fireplace, an attached garage, or other feature, fixture, or element that emits carbon monoxide as a byproduct of combustion shall have an approved operational carbon monoxide alarm installed within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping purposes.

The requirements may be satisfied with the installation of a hard-wired or battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm or a hard-wired or battery-powered combination carbon monoxide and smoke alarm.

If a fuel-burning appliance is located within a bedroom or its attached bathroom, a carbon monoxide detection shall be installed within the bedroom.

During Housing Quality Standards (HQS) Inspections, if a unit is found to be out on compliance with the required placement location, approved detectors/alarms, and/or non-functioning detectors, a 24-hour Emergency Fail Inspection status will be issued for each instance and the unit will be reinspected the following day.  If the instance(s) is not corrected by the due date, then the unit will be placed in abatement due to HQS failure.

For the full 2018 International Fire Code (IFC): http://codes.ccsafe.org/content/IFC2018