Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 17h

The Reason Foundation is latest organization promoting better housing policy through single-stair code reform.

reason.org/commentary/t...

The staircase rule that’s limiting housing growth

Revisiting the two-stair requirement in building code could improve spatial efficiency and expand housing options.

reason.org

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 1d

Pro-Housing Pittsburgh:

Removing the two-staircase requirement in the building code is key to tackling Pittsburgh's housing crisis by lowering construction costs, unlocking smaller lots, and allowing more family-sized units @prohousingpgh.org

www.prohousingpgh.org/blog/policy-...

Policy - Allow Single Staircase Buildings — Pro-Housing Pittsburgh

Building codes that seek to keep people safe, but that were created in a time of lesser fire suppression technologies, have created a two staircase requirement for most buildings. This makes small bui...

www.prohousingpgh.org

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Reposted by Sean Jursnick

Push The Needle @pushtheneedle.bsky.social · 3d

This is a great article by @matthutchins.bsky.social on how Seattle’s new missing middle allowances can lead to a broad range of new housing options on lots previously sequestered for 1 single home.

medium.com/@matthutchin...

Making Seattle neighborhoods more accessible by design

Four case studies on how new zoning incentives align with demographic shifts to meet housing demand.

medium.com

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

Don't dismay, it can be done. Denver's city council was able to bring the Fire Chief to the table in Denver to collaborate on a bill with the building department.

bsky.app/profile/sean...

Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

The proposed code change has four City Council sponsors

This week’s committee hearing featured testimony by DFD & Denver’s Chief Building Official who made recommendations to approve single-stair code changes, making Denver the first jurisdiction to comply with the state’s single-stair legislation

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

The Building Department’s slide deck even featured apartment designs from the Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge that I organized earlier this year.

CPD did not city credit their sources but at least one city council member gave me a shoutout.
architecturecompetitions.com/pointaccessb...

Denver Single-Stair Housing Challenge competition winners revealed!

Winners chosen from Lebanon, France, United States, Turkey and Netherlands.

architecturecompetitions.com

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

0 members of the public testified in opposition to the single-stair code changes.

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

5 members of the public testified in support of the proposal at the hearing including members of SWEEP who noted that the change will encourage more infill housing where housing is in most demand and that infill housing is one of the best strategies for the city to reduce emissions and fight sprawl

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

The proposed code change language outlines safety measures required for single-stair buildings above and beyond standard multifamily projects with multiple egresses.

Council members were interested in safety measures with requests that the city track new projects developed under the code change.

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

The proposed code change has four City Council sponsors

This week’s committee hearing featured testimony by DFD & Denver’s Chief Building Official who made recommendations to approve single-stair code changes, making Denver the first jurisdiction to comply with the state’s single-stair legislation

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

🏠 Denver just got closer to building more housing!

This week, City Council's seven member Housing Committee unanimously advanced a bill allowing 5-story single-stair buildings in a decisive 7-0 vote.

Final Full Council vote: 11/24

Effective Date: 12/31/25

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 4d

The next pro-housing state eyeing architectural innovation through single-stair reform: Utah

kslnewsradio.com/utah/small-b...

Small building code could unlock thousands of new Utah homes

Utah could ease its housing shortage and lower construction costs by making one small change to its building code.

kslnewsradio.com

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 5d

yes, if the unit opens to a yard or court that opens to a public way

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 5d

for additional details on the small lot prototype

kgarch.com/reviving-a-f...

Reviving a Forgotten Lot: Single-Stair Housing Prototype in Denver’s Baker Neighborhood

As cities across Colorado amend local building codes to permit five-story multifamily residential buildings served by a single exit stair, this once forgotten lot has a new life.

kgarch.com

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 5d

For decades, a prime but isolated corner parking lot at 4th & Broadway in Denver's Baker neighborhood was too small for traditional development.

Thanks to Denver's forthcoming single-stair code updates, KGA Architects is proposing a 5-story single-stair apt on this "forgotten lot"

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Reposted by Sean Jursnick

Patrick Siegman @siegman.biz · 6d

Why do builders put up giant McMansions, when zoning allows a fourplex? TLDR: A host of regulations make fourplexes lose money.

I read the eye-opening report. Now I'm looking forward to the podcast.

A snapshot of the cover of a report titled, "Beyond Zoning: Hidden Code Barriers to Middle-Scale Housing", published by the Center for Building in North America.

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

I'm in a Home Rule state so any adjustments to the building code here in CO are fought tooth-and-nail by local jurisdictions pushing back on any type of state intervention.

Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

I'd love to see a progressive state adopt a performance based code.

Montana is also great candidate because of how they have pushed pro-housing changes recently and their state building code is essentially run by a single code official who could make a unilateral (bold) change.

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

so livable!

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Reposted by Sean Jursnick

Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

brb, I'm heading out for Guatemala City for the weekend

www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/227059...

Serviced apartment in Guatemala · ★4.92 · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 bath

Suite TerraEsperanza Apart-Hotel

www.airbnb.co.nz

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Reposted by Sean Jursnick

Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 6d

this building's floorplate is nearly half as wide as the typical new build in seattle today

www.baunetz-architekten.de/studiovlay/8...

LOFT-FLÜGEL | StudioVlayStreeruwitz, Wien

Architekten Profil im BauNetz von StudioVlayStreeruwitz, 1100 Wien - Studi,Vlay,Streelitz,Wien,Österreich

www.baunetz-architekten.de

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

the plan has a lot of quirks that I'm not used to seeing

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

the floor plate is about 7,800 SF. Huge for point access plan but on the small end for a standard American double loaded corridor apartment

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

brb, I'm heading out for Guatemala City for the weekend

www.airbnb.co.nz/rooms/227059...

Serviced apartment in Guatemala · ★4.92 · 1 bedroom · 1 bed · 1 bath

Suite TerraEsperanza Apart-Hotel

www.airbnb.co.nz

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 6d

TerraEsperanza in Guatemala City shows what’s possible with the flexibility of single-stair design — a vibrant, 10-story mixed-use building on a small lot.

Designed by Mexico City's Legorreta + Legorreta, the project floats above the grade plane and provides a variety of unit sizes.

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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 7d

We still need a massive shift toward evidence and performance-based code.

IBC/IRC use is universal with state and local jurisdictions authoring amendments as nauseum.

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