A stairway to heaven? Maybe. Higher cash flow for California landlords might be as simple as changing the number of enclosed staircases required in small multifamily buildings.
That’s the debate surrounding Assembly Bill 835. California’s fire marshal is finalizing a report to comply with the bill and potentially reshape real estate investment across the state.
Why Staircase Rules Matter to Small Landlords
Under today’s International Building Code, which is followed in some capacity by most U.S. jurisdictions, buildings above three units must include at least two enclosed staircases, which shape the core of any apartment building. Assembly Bill 835 seeks to allow single-stair multifamily buildings with more than three units.
The proposed ruling is by no means unique in America. Many jurisdictions, including Seattle and New York, allow single-family staircase buildings (up to six units). It is, however, a financial game-changer for small landlords, as California YIMBY’s website explains, reducing construction costs, creating more livable square footage, and allowing apartment buildings to be constructed on smaller, narrower, and oddly shaped lots. More apartments equal more cash flow.
AB 835’s author, Assemblymember Alex Lee, sees the bill as opening more sites rather than a dramatic rewrite of the code. Lee told Mitpitasbeat:
“I see AB 835 as a first step to revising California’s building code on apartment staircases. If California were to permit single?staircase apartments above three stories, we could unlock previously undevelopable properties and create more high-density housing. Single?stair apartments also allow for more efficient use of building spaces, along with a greater variety of housing…