The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has postponed the implementation of NSPIRE (National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate). Originally scheduled for October 1, 2025, the new effective date is February 1, 2027.
Renton Housing Authority (RHA) will begin using NSPIRE standards for inspections starting January 1, 2027.
Although the rollout of NSPIRE has been delayed, compliance with Smoke and Carbon Monoxide (CO) alarm requirements remains mandatory, as these are part of federal safety laws already in effect.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Detectors
Required in units with fuel-burning appliances or attached garages.
This includes, but is not limited to:
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□ Natural gas stoves
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□ Hot water heaters/tanks
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□ Gas dryers
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□ Fireplaces
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□ Furnaces
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□ Any other combustion-based appliances
It became a required inspection item on December 27, 2022.
RHA follows the NSPIRE Carbon Monoxide (CO) standards.
See HUD Notice PIH 2022-01 for more details.
Smoke Alarms
Landlords must ensure that all smoke alarms meet current safety standards as outlined by the Federal Fire Safety Act of 1992 and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 72:
Device Type: Must be either:
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Hardwired with battery backup, or
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□ Sealed, non-rechargeable 10-year lithium battery
Tamper Resistance: Must be sealed and tamper-resistant to prevent disabling or removal.
Interconnection: Smoke alarms must be interconnected, so that when one alarm sounds, all alarms in the unit sound simultaneously (only in New Construction or Rehabilitation after the following dates:
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1988: Model building codes, including BOCA, ICBO, and SBCCI, began requiring smoke alarms in sleeping rooms to be interconnected.
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1989: The NFPA's NFPA 74 standard was updated to require interconnected smoke alarms in all
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2000: The International Residential Code (IRC) began requiring interconnection since its first edition.
Hush/Silence Function: Must include a hush/silence button to temporarily silence nuisance alarms without disabling the unit.
Notification for Hearing Impaired: Alarms must provide visual or tactile notification for individuals with hearing loss, in compliance with NFPA 72 or its successor standards.
These standards are already in effect and will be reinforced under NSPIRE in 2027.
Key Requirements:
Smoke alarm should be installed high on walls or ceilings.
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□ If mounted on the ceiling, then it must be greater than 4 inches from the wall.
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□ If mounted on the wall, then the top edge of the smoke alarm cannot be closer than 4 inches or greater than 12 inches from the ceiling.
Smoke alarm should be installed at least 10 feet from a cooking appliance.
Smoke alarm should not:
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□ Be installed near windows, doors, or ducts where drafts might interfere with their operation.
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□ Be painted or have decorative stickers or other decorations present.
The unit must include at least one battery-operated or hard-wired smoke detector, in proper working condition, in the following locations:
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□ On each level of the unit; Inside each bedroom.
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□ Within 21 feet of any door to a bedroom measured along a path of travel; and
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□ Where a smoke detector installed outside a bedroom is separated from an adjacent living area by a door, a smoke detector must also be installed on the living area side of the door.
Renton Housing Authority Inspection Policy
The Renton Housing Authority follows a biennial inspection schedule (once every two years), which may occur as early as 60 days prior to the annual recertification date.
However, for failed inspections, if a unit on a biennial schedule does not pass inspection, it may be moved back to an annual inspection schedule. Once the unit demonstrates a consistent pattern of compliance, it may then return to the biennial inspection cycle.