---
title: Can fewer stairs improve housing?
description: Some American municipalities want to ditch a long-standing rule that requires two staircases per apartment building.
---

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# [Can fewer stairs improve housing?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/can-fewer-stairs-improve-housing)

 Written by [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) | Jun 14, 2023 11:07:04 PM

Europe has sidewalk cafes, great public transit, and — according to some housing advocates — the correct number of staircases. [Per](https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/statistics/v12i8.pdf) *Slate*:

- In Europe and parts of Asia, apartments often have one staircase, and perhaps elevators for accessibility.
- Across North America, most multistory apartment buildings are required to have two — one at either end.

This is largely done for fire safety, yet data shows residential fire deaths are *higher* in the US than in countries where single-stair buildings are common.

#### **Why do people hate on double stairs?**

They result in “double-loaded corridor” buildings with units on opposite sides of a hallway.

They’re often aesthetically boring and big — if you’ve gotta build two staircases, you might as well get your money’s worth.

But advocates like architect Michael Eliason [say](https://www.treehugger.com/single-stair-buildings-united-states-5197036) that single-stair buildings:

- Use space more efficiently
- Provide units with more natural light and cross-ventilation, reducing energy costs
- Are cheaper to build, and make it cost-effective to develop smaller buildings with larger, family-sized units
- Have more interesting architecture

#### **But would it be a game changer?**

Architecture critic Kate Wagner has a more [reserved take](https://www.thenation.com/article/society/single-stair-building-codes-housing/), doubting this single change would fix problems deeper than design.

Still, we may get a chance to see. Seattle [already allows](https://www.theurbanist.org/2021/12/20/seattles-lead-on-single-stair-buildings/) single staircases for buildings up to six floors, and a new [California bill](https://calrev.org/2023/02/15/new-bill-proposed-to-radically-improve-apartment-building-cost-and-design/?v=7516fd43adaa) could open the door for buildings over three floors by 2026.

**BTW:** If you’re curious about what a single-stair design looks like, Eliason frequently posts them [on Twitter](https://twitter.com/holz_bau/status/1668347858263715842).

[View full post](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/news/can-fewer-stairs-improve-housing)

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