(a) Existing facilities. Recipients in preexisting structures shall make their goods or services accessible to and usable by handicapped clients. Where structural changes are necessary to make the recipient's goods or services accessible, such changes shall be made as soon as practicable, but in no event later than three years after the effective date of this Regulation. A plan setting forth the steps necessary to complete such structural changes shall be developed and submitted to SBA. If practical, interested persons, including handicapped persons or organizations representing handicapped persons, will be consulted.

(b) Design, construction, and alteration. New facilities shall be designed and constructed to be readily accessible to and usable by persons with handicaps. Alterations to existing facilities that affect usability shall, to the maximum extent feasible, be designed and constructed to be readily accessible to and usable by handicapped persons.

(c) Conformance with Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards. (1) Effective as of January 18, 1991, design, construction, or alteration of buildings in conformance with sections 3-8 of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) (appendix A to 41 CFR subpart 101-19.6) shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of this section with respect to those buildings. Departures from particular technical and scoping requirements of UFAS by the use of other methods are permitted where substantially equivalent or greater access to and usability of the building is provided.

(2) For purposes of this section, section 4.1.6(1)(g) of UFAS shall be interpreted to exempt from the requirements of UFAS only mechanical rooms and other spaces that, because of their intended use, will not require accessibility to the public or beneficiaries or result in the employment or residence therein of persons with physical handicaps.

(3) This section does not require recipients to make building alterations that have little likelihood of being accomplished without removing or altering a load-bearing structural member.