Dear San Jose Council Members,
I’m writing to support the single stair reform amendment proposed in agenda item
8.2. I believe San Jose should allow this single stair reform so we can lower the cost of multifamily housing construction and allow multifamily housing to fit more easily into smaller infill lots. It has also been shown that single stair 4-6 story buildings have the same safety performance as two staircase buildings.
Single stair reform lowers construction costs
• Pew Research found that requiring one vs two staircases in 4-6 story buildings can lower construction costs by 6-13%.1 In our current climate of high construction costs, where barely any multifamily housing projects can pencil, this cost reduction is badly needed.
Single stair buildings have the same safety performance as two staircase buildings • These single stair buildings are already allowed in New York City, Seattle and Honolulu. Pew looked at the safety performance of buildings with single stair vs two stairs in New York City and found no difference in safety performance2. They point out that double staircases made more sense for fire safety before modern safety features became prevalent, like fire sprinklers.
Single stair buildings help multifamily buildings fit into infill lots • Since single stair buildings require less floor space for staircases they can fit onto narrower lots.
We should update this outdated building code that doesn't provide higher levels of safety but is stopping us from building the multifamily housing this city badly needs.
Thanks for reading,
Carol Owendro
1,2. Horowitz, A., Rodnyansky, S., & Su , D. (2025, February 27). Small single-stairway apartment buildings have strong safety record. The Pew Charitable Trusts. https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/reports/2025/02/small-single-stairway- apartment-buildings-have-strong-safety-record
10/27/25
To: Honorable Mayor Matt Mahan and Members of the San José City Council Re: Commending San José’s Leadership on Exploring Single-Stair Building Reform Dear Mayor Mahan and Councilmembers,
On behalf of the Housing Action Coalition (HAC), San José YIMBY , SPUR, and Catalyze SV we commend the Mayor and Councilmembers Campos, Tordillos, Cohen, and Mulcahy for introducing the October 24, 2025 memorandum directing staff to evaluate a local building code amendment to allow construction of buildings up to six stories with a single staircase.
This forward-thinking directive shows San José’s continued leadership in addressing California’s housing and construction cost crisis through evidence-based, feasible solutions.
The aforementioned memo recognizes a critical truth: the cost of construction in California has risen dramatically—34.4% in just four years, nearly twice the increase of the consumer price index. These rising costs, compounded by overlapping local regulations, threaten to make even modest housing projects infeasible.
By asking staff to evaluate a local amendment enabling single-stair buildings up to six stories, the City is taking a pragmatic step toward improving feasibility and affordability without compromising safety. San José is signaling that housing policy should be grounded in both data and design practicality.
We also applaud the memo’s broader directive to streamline local codes, evaluate the cost impacts of new regulations, and seek stakeholder input from the development community, Associated General Contractors, and the Chamber of Commerce. This kind of transparent and evidence-based process is precisely what’s needed to ensure housing policy supports—not hinders—new home creation.
Why Single-Stair Buildings Matter
Single-stair buildings are a proven housing typology used safely around the world in countries with equally rigorous fire and building codes, including Denmark, Japan, Canada, and Germany. In the United States, Seattle has permitted six-story single-stair apartment buildings since 1977 with no corresponding increase in fire incidents or fatalities.
Modern safety measures—such as full sprinkler coverage, fire-rated construction, and pressurized stairwells—make these buildings as safe as two-stair designs, according to research from the Pew Charitable Trusts. These buildings also improve livability and sustainability, allowing for more natural light, cross-ventilation, and efficient floorplans.
A Key Step Toward Missing-Middle and Infill Housing
Single-stair reform would make many small or irregular parcels in San José newly buildable, particularly in urban villages and transit corridors where double-stair layouts are infeasible. The result is more “missing-middle” housing: modestly sized walk-ups, courtyard apartments, and mixed-use infill—exactly the types of homes that meet the city’s affordability and climate goals.
By reducing redundant code barriers, San José can help unlock development on underutilized lots while maintaining design quality, safety, and accessibility.
Recommendations for Next Steps
As the City evaluates this reform, we recommend that staff and Council:
● Use Seattle’s single-stair framework as a baseline, adapting it for California’s seismic and fire-safety standards.
● Avoid untested requirements—such as excessive side setbacks or limits on units per floor—that reduce buildable space without proven safety benefit.
● Engage the architectural and development community early to ensure the resulting ordinance is feasible in practice, not just in concept.
● Coordinate with state lawmakers on any necessary updates to enable local implementation.
Conclusion
We thank the Mayor and Council for advancing this conversation and for recognizing that the cost and feasibility of housing are shaped as much by building code decisions as by zoning and finance. San José has the opportunity to lead the state once again in innovative, data-driven housing reform—making homes safer, more affordable, and more attainable for the next generation.
We stand ready to collaborate with City staff, the development community, and fellow advocates to help shape an ordinance that achieves these shared goals.
Respectfully,
Ali Sapirman
Advocacy & Policy Manager
Housing Action Coalition