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Posted on 02/12/2026 6:17:54 PM PST by matt04
Changes could be coming to longstanding Massachusetts building codes that advocates say would make it much easier to build multifamily housing.
Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Thursday establishing an advisory group to explore allowing new residential buildings with a single staircase, which is banned for those taller than three stories under the current building code. The change would make it much cheaper to build mid-sized multifamily projects, encouraging increased production
“We’re all about making it easier to build more housing across our state to drive down costs for everyone,” Healey said in a statement. “While the double stair requirement plays an important role in ensuring safety, it’s also holding us back from the type of housing construction we need to meet demand. This group will include the best subject matter experts and fire safety officials to explore how we can make it easier to build housing by allowing single stair construction, while continuing to protect our residents and first responders.”
The current version of the building code, adopted in 2017, requires buildings with more than three stories to have two staircases. Single-stair buildings, typically have one entry point and a central lobby and can have a maximum of four units per floor, for a total maximum of 12 units per building.
(Excerpt) Read more at masslive.com ...
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Gosh even my old college-days 3 story apartment building in Boston had 2 stairwells.
That’s insanity.
Democrats have no concern for life that’s not their own.
Let’s not hold back that needed construction.
Only one stairway - one-way up only.
Jump out for down,.
I assume the state will include a provision in the new regulations that will hold the contractors and building owners harmless when the inevitable fire kills half a dozen residents because the only staircase was blocked by smoke and flames.
Nah. Prolly not. It would cheat the ambulance chasers out of millions of bucks in settlements.
Here’s the source for the opposing viewpoint: https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/building-and-life-safety/the-single-exit-stair-debate#download-a-free-report
Pure stupidity. They would be intentionally be building death traps.
They don’t care about people just their Kickbacks
Further good points made here: https://www.nfpa.org/en/news-blogs-and-articles/nfpa-journal/2024/08/06/the-single-exit-stairwell-debate
Great article.
I cannot fathom living in such a place.
Guess you have to be from the northeast coast?
Yep. They always used to talk about 2 ways out, now sorry sucker.
The housing “in demand” is single-family homes. The problem is not that people in apartments are too safe: the problem is that our middle class has been gutted, and nobody can afford the kind of housing they want and need.
Seems like they could find a better way to save money
A house pretty much like Casa Griffin could be built for about $50,000.
How much would the concrete cost?
How much would the wood cost?
How much would the shingles cost?
How much would the wallboard cost?
How much would the windows cost?
How much would the doors cost?
....
It may also be part of the life safety code. If memory serves the requirement likely rose from fire fatalities being higher when there is only a single exit stairway. This is especially true in what used to be called boarding houses. I forget the current term for them.
If sprinklers were required (maybe they are) I can understand the amendment but just to do without to make building cheaper will have consequences. People have the wrong idea from watching dramas of just what is involved in a house/building fire.
Perhaps stop the free health care, food, shelter, clothing, and a few K in ss payments for illegal aliens might generate some of those savings.
Maybe reduceing the graft might also generate a few bucks?
They could get used airplane exit slides from crash sites.
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