Could apartments with only one stairway be a solution to L.A.'s housing crisis?

The L.A. City Council voted last week to draft an ordinance that would allow buildings of up to six stories to have a single stairway.

Advocates say it would be easier and cheaper to build on smaller lots, and that could lead to more family-sized apartments in the city.

Proponents of double stairways say they are a key safety measure, giving residents two options for fleeing a fire, along with a separate route for firefighters.

Architect Simon Ha was trying to squeeze an apartment building onto a 6,400-square foot lot in Hollywood.

The city of Los Angeles requires two stairways for such buildings, which limited the configurations Ha could use. After racking his brain, he finally came up with a solution.

“It was like designing a Swiss watch,” he said of the 2023 project.

Now, the L.A.