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Getting Ready for Final Inspection

After you have completed construction and submitted a Certificate of Occupancy to the Small Rental Property Program (Rental program), a Road Home Final Inspection must be conducted on each affordable unit. Below are the maintenance and scoring items that will be inspected:

Maintenance Items to Check Prior to Scheduling Final Inspection

Electrical: The electricity must be turned on and the electrical panel must be accessible. Inspector will turn on lights and check outlets to see that they're working and that outlet/switch covers are in place. There must be no exposed or frayed wiring; no water leaks near the electrical panel, electrical fixtures or outlets; and the breaker panel should not have burnt or missing breakers.

Walls and ceilings: The walls must not bulge, buckle or show evidence of serious water damage. All ceilings must be in good repair (i.e. they should not bulge or buckle, contain large holes or surface mold) and the tiles or panels must not be damaged or missing.

Floors: The sub floor must not have rotting or sagging areas, may not have soft spots or holes, and must not be missing floor tiles.

Stairs and railings: The stairs must not have any broken treads or risers. Any hand rails, railings, or supports on stairs, porches, balconies and patios must not be structurally damaged.

Windows: The windows must not have broken, cracked or missing window panes or glazing. Inspector will check to see that exterior windows can be opened and locked. Any security windows must have a quick release feature.

Doors: All doors must be in good repair (i.e. not broken, missing or damaged). This includes glass, frames/trim, lintels, locks, surfaces, seals, and glazing.

Bathrooms: Sinks, toilets and tubs/showers must be working and safe. Inspector will run water and flush the toilet to check that they drain. Bathrooms must have ventilation, either a fan or an operable window. If it's a fan, inspector will turn it on to make sure it's working.

Kitchens: The kitchen sink and cabinets may not be broken (e.g. doors hanging off their hinges, broken drawers, broken countertops, etc.). Refrigerators, stoves and ovens must be working.

Plumbing: Pipes in the bathrooms and kitchen must have no evident leaks. Any gas-fired water heaters must have a chimney that appears aligned properly as well as a pressure relief valve, and no leaks. Inspector will turn on hot water to make sure water heater is working.

Environmental: Inspector will check for odors indicating mold, sewer or gas problems. Property must not be infested with rats, mice, vermin or insects.

HVAC: Any cooling, heating and ventilation (HVAC) systems must work and not have evident leaks. Any convection/radiant heat systems must have covers. Any gas-fired units must have a chimney that appears properly aligned.

Fire safety: There must be a working smoke detector.

General safety issues: The interior and exterior of the structure must not present any obvious safety hazards (e.g. broken hand rails, broken railings, broken supports and/or sharp edges on doorframes, thresholds, wall corners or other building-related items).

 

Scoring Items to Check Prior to Scheduling Final Inspection

(Only the items you selected on your Rental program application will be part of the inspection. Contact your Rental program Advisor for further information)

Hazard Mitigation: Make sure your rental property / affordable units have at least three (3) of the following hazard mitigation measures:

  • Stronger exterior doors
  • Bracing on garage doors
  • Tying down or anchoring of propane and heating fuel tanks
  • Elevated washers and dryers
  • Elevated furnaces and water heaters,
  • Elevated electrical panels and air conditioning units
  • Window protection
  • Backflow valves
  • Hurricane straps / clips for the roof
  • Walls bolted to the foundation

Contact your Rental program Advisor to obtain additional information on The Road Home's final inspection requirements for hazard mitigation.

Garbage disposal:  Any kind of garbage disposal must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working.

Tankless water heater: A tankless water heater must serve every affordable rental unit.

Energy Star refrigerator: An Energy Star refrigerator must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working. Go to www.energystar.gov exits Road Home web site to find products that are Energy Star compliant. Be prepared to provide the brand and model number at the final inspection.

Conventional dishwasher: A dishwasher of any kind must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working.

Energy Star dishwasher: An Energy Star dishwasher must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working. Go to www.energystar.gov exits Road Home web site to find products that are Energy Star compliant. Be prepared to provide the brand and model number at the final inspection.

Washer/dryer hookups: Make sure washer and dryer hookups are installed in each affordable unit.

Energy Star clothes washer: An Energy Star clothes washer must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working. Go to www.energystar.gov exits Road Home web site to find products that are Energy Star compliant. Be prepared to provide the brand and model number at the final inspection.

Energy Star/Conventional clothes dryer: A clothes dryer of any kind must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working.

Energy Star water heater: A water heater of any kind must be installed in each affordable unit, and it must be working.

Ceiling fans: Make sure that ceiling fans are installed in all sleeping and living rooms of the affordable units, and that they are working.

Conventional central HVAC system: All affordable units must be served by a conventional central HVAC system or better.

Energy-efficient central heating OR energy-efficient cooling (Round 1): All affordable units must be served by a central heating system that is rated at least 95% AFUE, OR by high-efficiency cooling equipment; the system or window units must be installed and working. Central AC system must be rated at least 14 SEER. If 14 SEER central AC not economically feasible, window AC units may be used; however, they must be Energy Star-rated and provide sufficient cooling capacity for the size of the affordable rental unit. Be prepared to provide brands and model numbers of all equipment at the final inspection. Go to www.energystar.gov exits Road Home web site to find high-efficiency products. Contact your Rental program Advisor for more information on using window AC units.

Energy-efficient central heating AND energy-efficient cooling (Round 2): All affordable units must be served by a central heating system that is rated at least 95% AFUE; the system must be installed and working. All affordable units must ALSO be served by high-efficiency cooling equipment; the system or window units must be installed and working. Central AC system must be rated at least 14 SEER. If 14 SEER central AC not economically feasible, window AC units may be used; however, they must be Energy Star-rated and provide sufficient cooling capacity for the size of the affordable rental unit. Be prepared to provide brands and model numbers of all equipment at the final inspection. Go to www.energystar.gov exits Road Home web site to find high-efficiency products. Contact your Rental program Advisor for more information on using window AC units.

Green design standards: Make sure that your repairs are consistent with The Road Home's Green standard (available at http://www.road2la.org/rental under "Resources and Downloads"). If you decided to meet a national Green standard other than the one proposed by The Road Home, you must obtain either an NAHB Silver or Gold certification or a LEED certification of your property prior to final inspection and present the certification to the inspector.  If you have any questions about the Green design standards, contact your Rental program Advisor to obtain additional information.

Kitchen size / cabinetry: The kitchen size/cabinetry in each 1-BR affordable unit must be at least 100 SF and have at least 6 LF of cabinetry. The kitchen in each 2-BR affordable unit must be at least 120 SF and have at least 10 LF of cabinetry. The kitchen in each 3-BR affordable unit must be at least 160 SF and have at least 14 LF of cabinetry. The kitchen in each 4+ BR affordable unit must be at least 180 SF and have at least 22 LF of cabinetry. Contact your Rental program Advisor to make sure you understand how exactly these items are measured.

Tier 1 unit size: Each affordable studio unit must be at least 500 SF. Each 1-BR affordable unit must be at least 660 SF. Each 2BR affordable unit must be at least 880 SF. Each 3BR affordable unit must be at least 990 SF. Each 4+ BR affordable unit must be at least 1320 SF. Contact your Rental program Advisor to make sure you understand how exactly the unit is measured.

Tier 2 unit size: Each affordable studio unit must be at least 600 SF. Each 1-BR affordable unit must be at least 720 SF. Each 2BR affordable unit must be at least 960 SF. Each 3BR affordable unit must be at least 1080 SF. Each 4+ BR affordable unit must be at least 1440 SF. Contact your Rental program Advisor to make sure you understand how exactly the unit is measured.

Visit-ability standard: Make sure your repairs are consistent with The Road Home's visit-ability standard (available at http://www.road2la.org/rental under "Resources and Downloads"), or contact your Rental program Advisor to obtain additional information on The Road Home's final inspection requirements for visit-ability.

Universal design standard: Make sure your repairs are consistent with The Road Home's universal design standard (available at http://www.road2la.org/rental under "Resources and Downloads"), or contact your Rental program Advisor to obtain additional information on The Road Home's final inspection requirements for universal design.

For a more detailed description of the individual items that will be checked at final inspection, see the document Final Inspection Checklist (PDF/153k).

If you have any additional questions regarding the final inspection process for the Small Rental Property Program, please call 1.888.ROAD.2.LA (1.888.762.3252) and select the Rental program prompt (#1). TTY callers use 711 relay or 1.800.846.5277.