California Assembly Candidate Dick Lucas Advocates for Single-Stair Building Legalization to Combat Housing Crisis

CULVER CITY, CA – Dick Lucas, a candidate for the California Assembly, has publicly endorsed the legalization of single-stair buildings as a critical measure to address the state's severe housing crisis. Lucas stated in a recent social media post, "> Legalizing single stair buildings is such an obvious win. It lowers the cost of building and allows more types. Just submitted my comment. We are going to solve the housing crisis in CA 🚀." His comments highlight a growing movement to reform long-standing building codes.

The proposal to allow single-stair buildings, particularly those up to six stories, aims to reduce construction costs and enable more diverse housing types, especially on smaller urban lots. Current California regulations, largely in place since 1981, often mandate two stairways for multi-family buildings, which can consume significant space and increase development expenses. Advocates argue that this reform could unlock "missing middle" housing options like duplexes and fourplexes.

Culver City recently became the first municipality in California to pass an ordinance allowing single-stair apartment buildings up to six stories, with Councilmember Bryan “Bubba” Fish noting it could reduce construction costs by up to 13% for small lot residential buildings. Other major cities, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, considered similar changes but missed a crucial October 1 deadline for local ordinances due to the implementation of state law AB 130, which freezes local building codes for six years.

The push for single-stair buildings is not without opposition. Firefighter organizations, such as the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), have expressed strong safety concerns, arguing that a single exit pathway could compromise resident evacuation and firefighter access during emergencies. They contend that while modern buildings incorporate advanced fire suppression systems like sprinklers, multiple stairwells remain essential for life safety.

Proponents counter that updated fire safety standards, including advanced sprinkler systems and fire-resistant materials, mitigate the risks associated with single-stair designs. They point to cities like New York, Seattle, and Honolulu, as well as many European and Asian countries, where single-stair buildings are common and have not shown a higher rate of fire-related fatalities. State legislation, AB 835, passed in 2023, directs the State Fire Marshal to study and develop potential standards for safe single-staircase designs, indicating a broader state-level consideration of the issue.