24 C.F.R. § 881.207
§ 881.207 Property standards. (24 CFR Part 881)
Operative Text
Projects must comply with: (a) [Reserved] (b) In the case of congregate or single room occupant housing, the appropriate HUD guidelines and standards; (c) HUD requirements pursuant to section 209 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 for projects for the elderly or handicapped; (d) HUD requirements pertaining to noise abatement and control; (e) The Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 4821-4846), the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 4851-4856), and implementing regulations at part 35, subparts A, B, H, and R of this title; and (f) Applicable State and local laws, codes, ordinances and regulations. (g) Smoke detectors—(1) Performance requirement. After October 30, 1992, each dwelling unit must include at least one battery-operated or hard-wired smoke detector, in proper working condition, on each level of the unit. If the unit is occupied by hearing-impaired persons, smoke detectors must have an alarm system, designed for hearing-impaired persons, in each bedroom occupied by a hearing-impaired person. (2) Acceptability criteria. The smoke detector must be located, to the extent practicable, in a hallway adjacent to a bedroom, unless the unit is occupied by a hearing-impaired person, in which case each bedroom occupied by a hearing-impaired person must have an alarm system connected to the smoke detector installed in the hallway.
Under 24 CFR Part 881 § 881.207, housing projects covered by this program must satisfy a layered set of property standards. These include HUD-specific guidelines for congregate or single-room occupancy housing, protections for elderly or handicapped residents under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, noise abatement requirements, and federal lead-based paint laws. Every dwelling unit must have at least one functioning smoke detector on each level, and units occupied by hearing-impaired residents require specialized alarm systems connected to detectors and placed in each bedroom used by a hearing-impaired person. All applicable state and local building codes and ordinances apply as well.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators of projects subject to 24 CFR Part 881 § 881.207 generally maintain compliance by conducting regular audits against each enumerated standard, including HUD guidelines for specialized housing types, lead-based paint regulations under part 35, and local code requirements. For smoke detectors, compliant operators ensure at least one working device exists on every level of each unit, positioned in a hallway adjacent to a bedroom where practicable. When a unit is occupied by a hearing-impaired resident, operators typically install bedroom-specific alarm systems that are connected to the hallway smoke detector, meeting the accessibility requirement spelled out in § 881.207(g).
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Residents living in projects covered by 24 CFR Part 881 § 881.207 have the right to housing that meets federal property standards, including functioning smoke detectors on every level of their unit and, for hearing-impaired occupants, specialized alarm systems in each bedroom they occupy. If a unit appears to fall short of these standards—such as missing or non-working smoke detectors, unaddressed lead-based paint hazards, or violations of local housing codes—tenants can document the conditions and report concerns to HUD's local field office or a relevant housing authority. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid services can help residents understand what remedies or complaint processes may be available under § 881.207 and related federal and state rules.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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