36 CFR Part 1191 ADA and ABA Accessibility Guidelines for Emergency Transportable Housing Units

3. UFAS Compliant Units Deployed in Event of Catastrophic Disasters Equivalent to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita

FEMA provided approximately 145,000 emergency transportable housing units to the survivors of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.⁴⁸ Under the third scenario, we estimated the additional costs if FEMA deploys the same number of units in the event of catastrophic disasters equivalent to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and 10, 15, or 20 percent of the units are UFAS compliant. These costs may be incurred over more than one year depending on whether the disasters occur in the early part or late part of the year and the time needed to produce large numbers of units.

The additional costs for FEMA to provide UFAS compliant units with bedroom lighting controls and water spray units at kitchen sinks under the three scenarios are shown in Table 1. The additional costs under the first scenario (average number of UFAS compliant units deployed per year) are $22,275. The additional costs under the second scenario (replace baseline target inventory of UFAS compliant units) are $40,230. The additional costs under the third scenario (percentage of UFAS compliant units deployed in the event of catastrophic disasters equivalent to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita) range from $2 million to $4 million depending on whether 10, 15, or 20 percent of the units are UFAS compliant.

The final rule does not allow use of the operable parts exception for electrical outlets in kitchens in emergency transportable housing units with mobility features since they typically have fewer electrical outlets than kitchens in other types of residential dwelling units. Where two or more electrical outlets are provided above a length of countertop that is uninterrupted by a sink or appliance, the exception does not require one of the outlets to comply with the technical requirements for operable parts, including clear floor space, reach ranges, and operation. Kitchen designs vary in emergency transportable housing units. Depending on the kitchen designs, electrical outlets may need to be installed in the face of the base cabinets to comply with the technical requirements for operable parts. FEMA estimated, based on input from companies that produce emergency transportable housing units, that installing electrical outlets in the face of the base cabinets will add from $150 to $500 to the cost of UFAS compliant units. The higher estimate assumes custom cabinetry is needed.

We do not have information on the various kitchen designs used by companies that produce emergency transportable housing units. We estimated the additional costs for not allowing the operable parts exception to be used for electrical outlets in kitchens in emergency transportable housing units with mobility features based on assumptions that 25, 50, and 100 percent of the units provide two or more electrical outlets above a length of countertop that is uninterrupted by a sink or appliance and need to install electrical outlets in the face of the base cabinets to comply with the technical requirements for operable parts. The additional costs for not allowing use of the operable parts exception under the three scenarios described earlier are shown in Table 2 as a range of low and high estimates. The low estimates assume that installing electrical outlets in the face of the base cabinets will add $150 to the cost of UFAS compliant units. The high estimates assume that installing electrical outlets in the face of the base cabinets will add $500 to the cost of UFAS compliant units. The additional costs under the first scenario (average number of UFAS compliant units deployed per year) range from $6,150 to $82,500. The additional costs under the second scenario (replace baseline target inventory of UFAS compliant units) range from $11,250 to $149,000. The additional costs under the third scenario (percentage of UFAS compliant units deployed in the event of catastrophic disasters equivalent to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita) range from $543,750 to $14.5 million depending on whether 10, 15, or 20 percent of the units are UFAS compliant.

The total additional costs to provide bedroom lighting controls and water spray units at kitchen sinks in UFAS compliant units and for not allowing use of the operable parts exception for electrical outlets in kitchens in emergency transportable housing units with mobility features are shown in Table 3 as a range of low and high estimates. The low estimates assume that 25 percent of the units provide two or more electrical outlets above a length of countertop that is uninterrupted by a sink or appliance and need electrical outlets installed in the face of the base cabinets to comply with the technical requirements for operable parts at the additional cost of $150 per unit. The high estimates assume that 100 percent of the units provide two or more electrical outlets above a length of countertop that is uninterrupted by a sink or appliance and need electrical outlets installed in the face of the base cabinets to comply with the technical requirements for operable parts at the additional cost of $500 per unit. The total additional costs under the first scenario (average number of UFAS compliant units deployed per year) range from $28,425 to $104,775. The total additional costs under the second scenario (replace baseline target inventory of UFAS compliant units) range from $51,480 to $189,230. The total additional costs under the third scenario (percentage of UFAS compliant units deployed in the event of catastrophic disasters equivalent to Hurricanes Katrina and Rita) range from $2.5 million to $18.4 million depending on whether 10, 15, or 20 percent of the units are UFAS compliant. 

^48. GAO, Disaster Housing: FEMA Needs More Detailed Guidance and Performance Measures to Help Ensure Effective Assistance after Major Disasters, August 28, 2009 at: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-09-796.