I read Sightline’s report that Washington just became the first state to pass a statewide building code reform allowing scissor stairs in apartment buildings. The bill sailed through both chambers unanimously, though the State Building Code Council still has a long implementation runway ahead. Sightline makes the case that this is one more code fix aimed at lower costs, better layouts, and more infill housing.
My take is that this is exactly the kind of housing abundance work that matters once zoning reform has run into the hard edges of market reality. Building codes shape what gets built just as much as zoning does — sometimes more, because they determine the capital stack, the usable floor plate, and the efficiency of every unit. Washington keeps proving that federal reform may be slow, but states can move on practitioner credibility and no spin, stair by stair, to make more homes feasible.
The reporting belongs to Sightline Institute; the read here is mine.