A Solution: How Single-Stair Reform Can Help Unlock Incremental Housing

Small apartment buildings like Oak Terrace used to be common, filling cities with well-scaled, community-friendly homes. But thanks to modern building codes, structures like this are now nearly impossible to build. A single rule requiring two staircases with a fire-rated corridor has reshaped housing, pushing developers toward large, generic buildings instead of the compact, human-scaled apartments that once fit seamlessly into neighborhoods.

Seattle has shown a better way, allowing single-stair buildings without compromising safety. Revisiting these outdated restrictions could open the door for more diverse, affordable housing—and let places like Oak Terrace thrive again.

Noah Harper

Strong Towns

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