Healey Orders Look at Safety of Single-Stairway Residential Buildings

To step up housing, Healey looks to change stairway rules

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Thursday to study the idea of allowing single-stair construction for certain residential buildings higher than three stories. Currently, state code demands two staircases for such building, which housing advocates say is a constraint.

Healey orders look at safety of single-stairway residential buildings

Governor Maura Healey has created a technical advisory group to explore the safety impacts of allowing single staircases in residential buildings above three stories, which could potentially unlock 130,000 housing units.

Healey orders review of building codes in effort to boost housing options

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey wants to review a staircase restriction in the current building code to try to ease the housing crunch.

‘Holding us back’: Mass. weighs ending old fire safety rule to build more housing

Changes could be coming to longstanding Massachusetts building codes that advocates say would make it much easier to build multifamily housing.Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Thursday establishing an advisory group to explore allowing new residential buildings with a single staircase, which is banned for those taller than three stories under the current building code. The change would make it much cheaper to build mid-sized multifami…

Maura Healey unveiled her latest plan to tackle Massachusetts’ housing crisis: Fewer staircases - The Boston Globe

Fire codes have long required two staircases in mid-rise apartment buildings. But advocates worry that drives up construction costs. So the state will study doing away with one.