Gov. Maura Healey is taking a swing at one of Massachusetts' most entrenched building rules, signing an executive order Thursday to explore whether the state's long‑standing two‑stair mandate can be safely loosened for mid‑rise apartment buildings. Supporters argue that letting some projects use a single stair could make small lots and "missing‑middle" buildings finally pencil out, opening up new homes where the housing crunch is most severe.
Healey said the new technical advisory group will pull together fire‑safety officials, architects, accessibility advocates and public‑safety representatives, with a mandate to weigh safety against the urgent need for more housing. As reported by The Boston Globe, Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus put it bluntly: "Every safe, evidence‑based strategy to build more homes is needed to meet the housing demands we're facing."
How Many Homes Could Be Unlocked
A 2024 analysis commissioned by Boston Indicators, working with Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies and design firm Utile, found that allowing single‑stair construction on nearly 5,000 underused parcels near transit could yield roughly 130,000 new units in Greater Boston. The report contends that a second stair and the long corridors that come with it chew up precious floor area and add enough cost that many small‑lot projects simply no longer work financially, according to Boston Indicators.
What The Advisory Group Will Study
The technical advisory group has a fairly dry job title but a politically charged assignment. It is tasked with comparing the safety records of single‑stair and multi‑exit buildings, recommending specific code changes, and spelling out mitigation measures, including sprinkler requirements, smoke‑control strategies and maximum travel‑distance standards, in order to reduce risks. The Healey administration said it will appoint members "in the coming weeks" and convene the group "as soon as possible," according to NBC Boston.
Safety Debate
Advocates say the safety evidence is increasingly on their side. A national review by The Pew Charitable Trusts found that modern four‑to‑six‑story single‑stair buildings equipped with sprinklers have fire fatality rates comparable to other types of residential buildings. Still, fire‑safety organizations are urging a go‑slow approach and a full airing of the risks; the National Fire Protection Association has pushed for a transparent, inclusive process, as WBUR reported.
Politics And Next Steps
Healey's move also intersects with work on Beacon Hill. Legislative files tied to a formal study of single‑stair buildings have surfaced in recent committee reports, and an order connected to that effort, Senate No. 2647, is listed on the General Court's docket. Legislative records at the Massachusetts Legislature indicate the issue could advance either through administrative action or through new legislation, with the advisory group's recommendations, expected within about a year, guiding any eventual changes to the building code.
