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Council sends single-stair building item back to committee after extensive public comment
Summary
Councilmembers referred the single-stair building proposal back to committee; supporters and opponents spoke during public comment, citing safety studies, out‑of‑city precedents and concerns about firefighter input and evacuation.
The Los Angeles City Council returned the single-stair building proposal to committee after members and public speakers urged further analysis and local tailoring.
Public testimony at City Hall was sharply divided. Supporters including housing advocates and developers cited safety studies and international precedents, arguing that allowing single-stair designs can reduce building size, lower construction costs and expand housing options. A speaker representing the Housing Action Coalition said, "Single stair reform could be truly transformative for creating more affordable and livable housing in the city of LA if we get the details right." Speakers cited Seattle, New York and other jurisdictions as examples where single-stair buildings operate without heightened risk.
Union and firefighter representatives pressed for deeper engagement with the Los Angeles Fire Department. Councilmember Adrian Nazarian, during questions to the interim fire chief on a different agenda item, emphasized the need for the LAFD to provide lifesaving expertise and said the department had so far been “extremely passive” in advising on the policy. In the public comment period, UFLAC Local 112 representatives and other firefighters warned that staffing and training gaps — including the removal of engineer-in-training (EIT) positions — affect response capability and should inform ordinance decisions.
Several residents and safety advocates asked that the council not simply "cut and paste" rules from other cities and said local building stock, response times and fire department practices should shape any policy changes. At least one public speaker referenced research from the Pew Charitable Trusts and building performance studies to argue single-stair designs can be safe when combined with modern sprinklers and alarms.
Councilmembers voted to send the related items back to committee for more detailed review and technical amendments rather than advancing an immediate ordinance. The referral was intended to allow additional meetings between LAFD, housing advocates, developers and community stakeholders.
Ending: Council staff and committee chairs said they will schedule follow-up committee hearings to refine technical provisions, collect additional LAFD input and consider local data before returning a revised measure to the full council.
