---
kind: "section"
citation: "42 U.S.C. § 4153"
title: "42"
title_heading: "The Public Health and Welfare"
number: "4153"
heading: "Standards for design, construction, and alteration of buildings; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/42/4153"
units:
  - "Chapter 51 — Design and Construction of Public Buildings to Accommodate Physically Handicapped"
---

# §4153. Standards for design, construction, and alteration of buildings; Secretary of Housing and Urban Development


The [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Housing and Urban Development, in consultation with the [Secretary](/usc/42/242q–4.md?p=2) of Health and Human Services, shall prescribe standards for the design, [construction](/usc/42/300s–3.md?p=7), and alteration of buildings which are residential structures subject to this chapter to insure whenever possible that physically handicapped persons will have ready access to, and use of, such buildings.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–480, § 3, Aug. 12, 1968, 82 Stat. 719; Pub. L. 94–541, title II, § 201(3), Oct. 18, 1976, 90 Stat. 2507; Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1976—Pub. L. 94–541 substituted “shall prescribe” and “to insure whenever possible” for “is authorized to prescribe such” and “as may be necessary to insure”, respectively.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted in text for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88, which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.