The D.C. Council inched a contested housing idea closer to reality on Tuesday, advancing a measure that would let certain multifamily buildings up to six stories rely on a single entrance, exit, and stairway. Supporters say this single-stair setup could finally make small mid-rise projects and family-sized units pencil out on narrow infill lots. Critics counter that putting everyone on one way out raises hard questions about evacuations and firefighter access, and warn that the real fight will play out later in the rulemaking weeds.
As reported by Washington Business Journal, the Council cleared a procedural vote on the One Front Door Act, which now needs a second reading before it can become law. The same report notes that the mayor has signaled support for the policy. The story was written by Ben Peters.
What the Bill Would Actually Do
Bill B26-0227, the One Front Door Act of 2025, instructs the Construction Codes Coordinating Board to craft rules that would permit a single entrance and egress stairway for qualifying multifamily residential buildings up to six stories, and gives the board two years to complete that work. According to the bill text, available from the D.C. Council, the board must weigh factors such as building water supply and fire-suppression systems, fire department response times, and other safeguards when proposing any code changes.
Backers See a Path to More Housing
Architects, housing policy advocates, and the bill’s sponsors argue the reform would put D.C. more in line with peer cities that already allow point-access mid-rises and would lower per-unit construction costs. The D.C. Policy Center testified in favor of the measure, calling for targeted code updates to unlock infill and adaptive reuse projects in the city, according to the organization’s D.C. Policy Center testimony. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, the bill’s lead sponsor, emphasized that the proposal "does not directly amend the District’s building code" and instead sets a policy direction while leaving the technical details to experts during the rulemaking process, according to her remarks.
How Single-Stair Buildings Stack Up Nationally
National research has added some data to what has often been a gut-level debate. A Pew analysis found that modern four-to-six-story single-stair buildings have fire-death rates comparable to other residential building types. The same report notes that several states and cities are already adjusting their codes in hopes of expanding housing supply. Pew also points out that single-stair layouts can trim construction costs and work on small parcels that simply cannot accommodate dual-stair floor plates.
Firefighters Not Sold Yet
Fire-safety advocates and unions have pushed back in other jurisdictions, arguing that single-stair rules can complicate rescues and evacuations, a concern that surfaced in recent debates in Wisconsin and Baltimore. The Professional Fire Fighters of Wisconsin opposed a similar bill, as Finance & Commerce reported, and local coverage in Maryland captured firefighter and public-safety questions when a comparable measure advanced there. If the D.C. Council approves a second reading and the mayor signs the bill, it would then face a 30-day congressional review and ultimately depend on the Construction Codes Coordinating Board to lock in the technical safeguards, according to the bill text.
The next chapter of the fight is likely to be highly technical and quietly consequential. In its rulemaking, the board could tack on limits on floor area and unit counts, stricter sprinkler and smoke-control requirements, or response-time thresholds that define exactly where single-stair buildings are allowed. For now, all eyes will be on the date of the Council’s second reading and the board’s public rulemaking calendar, where the fine print will decide how far this single-stair experiment really goes.
