Municipalities may allow temporary SAFE housing during emergencies

A municipality may suspend specified planning, zoning, and local building approval steps to allow SAFE Units to be built. The authority covers construction and temporary occupancy of SAFE Units and their accessory units, such as bathrooms. The municipality's chief executive must declare an emergency, and the municipal council must approve it. The emergency must involve severe weather or the aftermath of a natural or man-made disaster; the units must meet the listed requirements. A declaration lasts 60 days and may be renewed in 30-day periods, up to 180 days total per year.

A municipality may allow SAFE Units by right through zoning rules or under the limited emergency authority. This applies to SAFE Units and their accessory units in municipalities that allow them through zoning rules or emergency authority. Units must meet the requirements in section 23-27.3-101.5. For non-emergency use, the municipality must allow the units through a zoning ordinance amendment. The law took effect upon passage.

SAFE Units that meet listed requirements are exempt from specified building, fire, and housing code rules. The exemptions apply to SAFE Units permitted under the specified zoning or emergency authority and meeting the unit requirements. A state or local fire marshal, where applicable, and a state building official must confirm compliance. Units must meet listed safety and construction standards, including rules for space, fire safety, exits, and ventilation. Plumbing and gas service, if present, must meet applicable code requirements.

A municipality's chief executive must send emergency reports to state leaders and the state housing secretary. The report goes to the governor, the House speaker, the Senate president, and the secretary of housing, with a copy to the municipal council. Reports must describe the emergency, the municipality's response, and the number of people served by SAFE Units. The first report is due within 30 days after the emergency declaration, with further reports every 60 days.