Dear Advocate:

I’ve been looking for the perfect board and care for my mom. Recently, I have visited lots of facilities with six or fewer beds. They seem to be cheaper than the larger facilities and are within my budget. However, many of the bedrooms in these homes seem to be too small for the amount of people living there. Are there rules about room size or the number of people who can live in a room?

Sincerely,
Its a Small World in Saratoga

Dear Its a Small World,

There are definitely regulations regarding your concerns, and the California regulations at CCR Title 22 § 87307(a)(2), outlines them:

(2) Resident bedrooms shall be provided which meet, at a minimum, the following requirements:

(A) Bedrooms shall be large enough to allow for easy passage between and comfortable usage of beds and other required items of furniture specified below, and any resident assistant devices such as wheelchairs or walkers.

(B) No room commonly used for other purposes shall be used as a sleeping room for any resident. This includes any hall, stairway, unfinished attic, garage, storage area, shed or similar detached building.

(C) No bedroom of a resident shall be used as a passageway to another room, bath or toilet.

(D) Not more than two residents shall sleep in a bedroom.