LA’s One-Staircase Rule for Buildings Up To 6 Stories
Rethinking Apartment Design: LA’s One-Staircase Rule for Buildings Up To 6 Stories
Los Angeles has taken a bold step to address the region’s ongoing housing crisis by introducing a new building code provision: allowing apartment buildings up to six stories to be constructed with only one staircase. This policy shift could significantly impact the way multi-family housing is designed, especially in dense urban neighborhoods like Koreatown.
What Changed?
Traditionally, California code has required at least two staircases for residential buildings above a certain number of units or floors. The new rule modifies this by permitting a single exit stairway for buildings up to six stories—aligned with evolving international life-safety codes and supported by precedent in cities like Seattle and New York.
Why It Matters
The intent behind this change is to create more family-friendly housing, particularly two- to three-bedroom units, by freeing up valuable floor area that would otherwise be used for a second staircase and corridor. For architects and developers, this opens opportunities to:
- Increase bedroom count on constrained sites,
- Design larger, more livable floor plans,
- Improve cost-efficiency and project feasibility.
The Challenge Ahead
While the policy aims to promote family-sized apartments, there’s a valid concern in the design community: what’s to stop developers from using the extra space to pack in more small rooming units instead?
Without careful planning and clear follow-up guidelines, the well-intentioned reform could unintentionally incentivize micro-units or luxury large condos over multi-bedroom homes for families.
What Should Come Next?
As architects committed to designing spaces that support community well-being, we hope the final implementation of this rule will include thoughtful restrictions—such as incentives for larger units or family-oriented layouts—to ensure that livability, not just density, is the guiding principle.
At PQNK, we are closely following this regulatory change and evaluating how it could affect upcoming multi-family projects across LA.
We believe this is an opportunity not just to build more housing—but to build better housing.
For professional guidance on multi-family housing development, feel free to reach out to PQNK INC. PQNK is a leading Korean-American architecture firm in Southern California specializing in multifamily residential, commercial, food & beverage, and healthcare design.