City Government

Hayward City Council to take up accessibility by design standards for new housing 

The Stack | May 2025

May 13, 2025

A person working on blue prints next to a yellow hard hat

The Hayward City Council later this month will consider adopting legislation requiring smaller residential construction projects to be designed in a manner that provides for accessibility for everyone, regardless of age or ability.  

The new Universal Design and Visitability Standards would apply to construction of new single-family homes, duplexes and townhome developments under proposed amendments to the City’s Municipal Code being recommended for adoption by the City Council on May 20.  

Essentially, the requirements are intended to ensure that the overall layout and design of new homes to be built in Hayward take into account accessibility without impeding creation of new housing.  

To avoid creating impediments to new housing constructions, exemptions to the new standards would be available due to extreme financial hardship, site topography and for various forms of Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) construction.  

For more information on proposed Universal Design and Visitability Standards, contact Hayward Planning Manager Jeremy Lochirco at (510) 583-4239 or jeremy.lochirco@hayward-ca.gov