Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Experts and builders back commission to study legalizing mid‑rise single‑stair housing
Summary
Witnesses told the Joint Committee on Housing that studying single‑stair mid‑rise buildings could reduce costs and enable more family‑sized units on small urban lots; several research organizations and fire‑safety experts said the evidence shows modern single‑stair designs can be safe when paired with sprinklers and other protections.
Supporters told the Joint Committee on Housing the state should commission a technical study to evaluate legalizing modern mid‑rise single‑stair residential buildings (H.1542 / S.964).
Advocates said allowing thoughtfully designed single‑stair buildings of four to six stories would lower construction costs, increase the number of family‑sized units on small infill lots, and better align building types with New England neighborhood fabrics. They urged a study commission of architects, fire officials, building officials, housing advocates and municipal staff to analyze safety measures, floor‑plate limits, sprinkler and smoke‑control requirements, and other technical controls.
Luke Schuster, executive director of Boston…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
