Building only one staircase into a building means that builders can use more space for living area. It not only lowers construction costs (building more stairs adds costs), but it also increases the amount of available housing space, bringing down total cost-per-square-foot. Builders can also fit single-stair buildings into smaller or more oddly-shaped parcels of land. In urban areas where the housing crisis is often worst, that describes a significant portion of real estate available for housing construction.
The bottom line: single-stair means more places to live, and they’re more affordable.
Carolina Forward Research Staff
The Case for “Single Star” Reform (Carolina Forward)
Scott Boehmer 