After starting with zoning regulations and red tape, advocates for increasing the supply of market-generated housing have recently set their signs on reforming building code regulations. A member of the Los Angeles City Council is now looking to take the cause.

In a motion introduced on March 5, 4th District Councilmember Nithya Raman makes the case for reforming code changes to eliminate requirements for dual-loaded corridors and double stairwells, describing them as a relic of early 20th century planning concerns that prevent the construction of larger family-sized units with more light and natural ventilation.

Raman points out that cities such as New York and Seattle already allow for the development of single-stairwell buildings that are three or more stories in height, and jurisdictions such as San Diego and San Francisco are also exploring the issue following the passage of AB 835, which directs the State Fire Marshal to develop standards for single-stair buildings by 2028.

"While the requirement for two stairwells was originally adopted for fire safety, developments over the past two to three decades have made such requirements obsolete," explains a landing page on the California YIMBY website. Modern buildings across the U.S. and Europe have fire safety ratings that greatly exceed buildings with two staircases – even though they only have one staircase."

As these regulations also require a hallway connecting the stairwells, they have resulted in dual-loaded corridor buildings which limit the size of apartments, and allow windows only one side, preventing natural sunlight and cross-ventilation.

Raman’s' motion asks for a report back from the Department of Building and Safety, the Fire Department, and the Planning Department, as well as a report back from the Livable Cities Initiatives and the American Institute of Architects. Likewise, the Planning Department has been asked to report back on the existing and proposed regulations in cities where single-stair buildings are allowed.

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