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DENVER, CO - The House Transportation, Housing & Local Government Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker and Representative Steven Woodrow that would save people money on housing by updating building codes to only require one stairwell for certain multi-family buildings. HB25-1273 passed by a vote of 12-1.
“Land is expensive, and this legislation ensures we are strategic about the space we have available so we can build more housing that saves Coloradans money on housing,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “As we implement innovative housing strategies, it’s crucial that we continue to protect tenant health and safety. This bill ensures that buildings must fulfill modern and strict safety standards, like smoke control systems, automatic sprinklers, and the use of non-combustible materials, to qualify for this single-stairway design. By modernizing building codes across our state, we can build housing options that hardworking Coloradans can afford.”
“With this bill, we’re empowering builders to better utilize the space they have to build more affordable housing units for Colorado workers and families,” said Rep. Steven Woodrow, D-Denver. “Cities that have allowed for single-stairwell apartment buildings have benefited from decreased building costs while continuing to protect the safety of their residents from building fires. Eliminating the extraneous requirement for a second stairwell in smaller apartment complexes allows us to make more room for housing units in price ranges that Coloradans can actually afford.”
Beginning December 1, 2027, HB25-1273 would require a municipality of 100,000 or more residents to ensure that their building code allows certain multi-family residential buildings to be served by a single exit if the municipality is served by a fire protection district or fire department. Additional requirements to qualify for a single-stairway exit include:
Buildings no more than five stories tall with up to four dwelling units per floor,
Safety features throughout the building that satisfy building codes and other relevant codes, including an automatic sprinkler system and fire resistance and smoke control systems,
Stairways no more than twenty feet away from a door to each dwelling unit or 125 feet from the stairwell to any point in a dwelling unit, and
Buildings constructed by non-combustible construction materials.
The bill would also require a jurisdiction to notify their local International Association of Fire Fighters affiliate and the Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Association when they begin the code adoption process. These buildings would also be required to include signage to identify that it is a single stair building and a fire-resistant box that contains keys to the buildings for relevant firefighters to access the building and necessary units.
According to a 2025 Pew Study, there has been no evidence of safety risks in New York City, Seattle, the Netherlands, and other jurisdictions that allow single stair apartments to be built. Adding a second stairway to an apartment building can increase building costs by 6 to 13 percent, and single stair apartments can reduce cooling costs by up to 80 percent.