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Fire chief pledges continued collaboration as council discusses single‑stair ordinance
Summary
Councilmembers and public speakers debated a proposed single‑stair building ordinance and its safety implications. Fire Chief Villanueva told the council the department will continue to work with members as the ordinance proceeds; the item was referred back to committee.
Councilmembers and public speakers raised questions about a proposed ordinance on single‑stair building access during the Sept. 16 meeting, and Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Villanueva told the council the department will continue to collaborate as staff and the committee refine the proposal.
Councilmember Adrián Nazarian asked how the fire department would be more actively engaged in policy work, saying firefighters’ operational experience is vital when the council considers rules that affect response and life‑safety. “Tenemos que... asegurarnos que LAFD está encajando al council de más activamente,” Nazarian told the chief.
Chief Villanueva replied that his priority is to provide the best service and that he and LAFD will continue collaborating with councilmembers, especially during the budget season. “Mi prioridad como LAFD es proveer la mejor... servicio al público. Voy a seguir colaborando con cada 1 de ustedes,” he said.
Union and advocacy voices weighed in during public comment. Ferdie Escobar, representing UFLAC (the fire‑fighters’ union), urged increased resources for fire stations and warned that staffing shortfalls and the loss of emergency‑training positions endanger both firefighters and residents. “Tenemos que aumentar los recursos para el departamento de bomberos,” Escobar said.
Housing advocates and tenant‑housing organizers spoke in favor of reforming single‑stair rules to enable more housing production. Jessie Suick, a housing organizer, said single‑stair reforms “can be transformative for housing in the City of Los Angeles” and urged the council to send the ordinance back to committee for revision. Zachary Pits, who said he had lived in a constrained apartment with his family, told the council that allowing single‑stair designs could help families stay in denser, centrally located housing.
Council staff and members noted the ordinance had been referred back to committee for further review; no final vote on the ordinance was taken on the council floor during the meeting.
Why it matters: The single‑stair change would affect building design, housing capacity and firefighter access in many older multiunit buildings. Councilmembers signaled they want more active LAFD involvement as rules are refined.
What happens next: The ordinance will return to committee for additional review; LAFD said it will increase its participation in committee discussions and budget planning.
