SECTION 553.107. Building Rehabilitation

(a) Prior to the start of building rehabilitation, other than that classified as repair in subsection (b) of this section, a facility must notify the Texas Health and Human Services commission (HHSC) in Austin, Texas, in writing.

(b) Upon completion of building rehabilitation, other than that classified as repair or renovation in this section, a final construction inspection of the facility must be performed by HHSC prior to occupancy. The completed construction must have the written approval of the local authority having jurisdiction, including the fire marshal and building official. When construction or building rehabilitation does not alter the licensed capacity of a facility, based on submitted documentation and the scope of the performed building rehabilitation, HHSC may permit a facility to use the rehabilitated portion of a facility pending a final construction inspection or may determine a final construction inspection is not required.

(c) An assisted living facility undergoing any building rehabilitation must meet the requirements of this section.

(1) An assisted living facility must ensure the patching, restoration, or painting of materials, elements, equipment, or fixtures for maintaining such materials, elements, equipment, or fixtures in good or sound condition is classified as repair and must ensure the repair:

(A) meets the applicable requirements of §553.100(e) of this subchapter (relating to General Requirements);

(B) uses like materials, unless such materials are prohibited by NFPA 101, as modified by this subchapter; and

(C) does not make a building less conforming with NFPA 101, as modified by this subchapter, with the applicable sections of this subchapter, or with any alternative arrangements previously approved by HHSC, than it was before the repair was undertaken.

(2) An assisted living facility must ensure the replacement in kind, strengthening, or upgrading of building elements, materials, equipment, or fixtures that does not result in a reconfiguration of the building spaces within is classified as renovation and must ensure:

(A) any new work that is part of a renovation meets the applicable requirements of §553.100(e) of this subchapter;

(B) any new interior or exterior finishes meet the applicable requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter; and

(C) does not make a building less conforming with NFPA 101, as modified by this subchapter, with the applicable sections of this subchapter, or with any alternative arrangements previously approved by HHSC, than it was before the renovation was undertaken.

(3) An assisted living facility must ensure the reconfiguration of any space; addition, relocation, or elimination of any door or window; addition or elimination of load-bearing elements; reconfiguration or extension of any system; installation of any additional equipment; or changes in locking arrangements as defined in §553.101(6)(L) of this subchapter (relating to Definitions), is classified as modification and must ensure:

(A) a newly constructed element, component, or system meets the applicable requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter;

(B) all other work in a modification meets, at a minimum, the requirements for a renovation according to paragraph (2) of this subsection; and

(C) where the total rehabilitation work area classified as modification exceeds 50 percent of the total building area, the work is classified as reconstruction subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection.

(4) An assisted living facility must ensure the reconfiguration of a space that affects an exit or a corridor shared by more than one occupant space, or the reconfiguration of a space such that the rehabilitation work area is not permitted to be occupied because existing means of egress or fire protection systems are not in place or continuously maintained, is classified as reconstruction and must ensure:

(A) reconstruction of components of the means of egress meets the applicable requirements of §553.100(e) of this subchapter, except for the following components, which must meet the specific requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter:

(i) illumination of means of egress;

(ii) emergency lighting of means of egress; and

(iii) marking of means of egress, including exit signs;

(B) if the total rehabilitation work area classified as reconstruction on any one floor exceeds 50 percent of the total area of the floor, all means of egress components identified in paragraph (4)(A)(i) - (iii) of this subsection and located on that floor meet the specific requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter;

(C) if the total rehabilitation work area classified as reconstruction exceeds 50 percent of the total building area, all means of egress components identified in paragraph (4)(A)(i) - (iii) of this subsection and located in the building meet the specific requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter; and

(D) all other work classified as reconstruction meets, at a minimum, the requirements for modification according to paragraph (3) of this subsection and renovation according to paragraph (2) of this subsection.

(5) An assisted living facility must ensure a change in the purpose or level of activity within a facility that involves a change in application of the requirements of this subchapter, including a change of a wing or area to a Certified Alzheimer's Disease Assisted Living Facility or unit, or a change of a Certified Alzheimer's Disease Assisted Living Facility or unit to ordinary resident-use, is classified as a change of use and meets the specific requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter.

(6) An assisted living facility must ensure a change in the use of a structure or portion of a structure is classified as a change of occupancy and meets the specific requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter.

(7) An assisted living facility must ensure an increase in the building area, aggregate floor area, building height, or number of stories of a structure is classified as an addition and meets the specific requirements of §553.100(e)(3) of this subchapter.

(d) An assisted living facility undergoing rehabilitation must comply with the requirements of NFPA 101, as modified by this subchapter in accordance with the requirements of NFPA 101, Chapter 43, Building Rehabilitation.

(e) An assisted living facility undergoing rehabilitation to an occupied building that involves means of escape, exit-ways, or exit doors must be accomplished without compromising the means of escape, means of egress, or exits or creating a dead-end situation at any time. HHSC may approve temporary exits or the facility must relocate residents until construction blocking the exit is completed. The facility must maintain other basic safety features, including fire alarm systems and fire sprinkler systems, in compliance with their relevant standards and must maintain required emergency power at all times during construction.

Source Note: The provisions of this §553.107 adopted to be effective August 31, 2021, 46 TexReg 5189