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Sean Jursnick

@seanjurs.bsky.social
1.4K followers 824 following 1.2K posts

Architect, housing advocate, and Emergent Ventures grant recipient

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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Kevin Erdmann @kevinerdmann.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
Austin is a canonical supply success story! In our odd era, yes, supply is what matters. open.substack.com/pub/kevinerd...
open.substack.com
In our odd era, yes, supply is what matters.
Charles Marohn at Strong Towns wrote a post the other day throwing cold water on the idea that Austin’s recent rent reductions are a sure sign of a housing supply success story.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 17/07/2026
Talking building code impacts on urban planning Stewart Hicks releases a great video about single-stair point access blocks - "How America Accidentally Banned Good Apartments" www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sfo... @holz-bau.bsky.social
youtube.com
How America Accidentally Banned Good Apartments
YouTube video by Stewart Hicks
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
"Making Small Multifamily Pencil on Urban Infill Sites" hosted next week by Cedar on 7/9 to highlight the possibilities and hurdles for small lot development. luma.com/vyt6s9mu?tk=...
luma.com
Making Small Multifamily Pencil on Urban Infill Sites · Zoom · Luma
A number of people asked us to push this back, so we’re moving the webinar to July 9th, and we’re adding Sean Borger, SVP of Capital Markets at WelcomeLend, to…
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
CNU Chicago launched a single stair design competition this week in support of proposed local and statewide single stair legislation - cnuchicago.substack.com/p/join-us-in...
cnuchicago.substack.com
Join Us in Launching Chicago’s Single-Stair Future
With single-stair legislation proposals gracing city hall and Springfield, CNU Chicago’s upcoming design competition couldn’t launch at a better time.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 19/05/2026
When American egress and zoning codes meet BIG knockoff buildings
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
I completely agree with you that the code should be adopted statewide. The opt-in model is cumbersome and creates a confusing patchwork of requirements.
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Daniel Kay Hertz @danielkayhertz.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Chicago has introduced building code reform to allow scissor stairs in multifamily by right up to 15 floors/150 feet: chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov/Matter/?matt...
chicityclerkelms.chicago.gov
Matter - Office of the City Clerk
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Alex Taliadoros @alexctaliadoros.bsky.social · 31/03/2026
The Council just passed legislation to allow single-stair and single-entrance apartment buildings up to six stories in DC. Allowing single-stair buildings: ✅ Reduces housing construction costs ✅ Enables housing on narrow city lots ✅ Facilitates more family-sized units The bill passed unanimously.
Hawarden Apartment BuildingGladstone Apartment Building
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
The Bluefield Housing Book defines ‘bluefields’ as an extension to green-, brown-, and greyfield housing, and outlines the design principles behind the bluefield co-located housing model. bluefieldhousing.com.au/damian-madig...
bluefieldhousing.com.au
The Bluefield Housing Book
'Bluefield Housing as Alternative Infill for the Suburbs' is a book written and illustrated by Damian Madigan and published by Routledge New York and London.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
Madigan's proposal is now influencing the City of Denver's Unlocking Housing Choices Program to amend the city's zoning code to encourage "missing middle" housing—such as duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and accessory dwelling units. denvergov.org/Government/A...
denvergov.org
Unlocking Housing Choices
Learn more about the city's work to create more opportunities for middle housing forms in Denver's residential neighborhoods.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 26/03/2026
'X-MU-X' by Dr. Damian Madigan First Prize - Denver Affordable Housing Challenge The author of 'The Bluefield Housing Book', Madigan lays out a design-led framework for Denver that boosts housing density without losing historic charm. architecturecompetitions.com/denverhousing/
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Joe Cohen @cohenhouse.bsky.social · 25/03/2026
What's nice about working for Nithya is that she's as big of a housing nerd as I am
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
This month, Colorado's Building Dialogue Magazine is highlighting the housing opportunities created by Denver's new single-stair code. cdn.etype.services/Production_P...
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 22/03/2026
379 affordable apartments and 146 parking spaces in 7- and 9-story buildings on a brownfield site in Zurich for just 150 million CHF – under $300 per gross sq. ft., $400k/unit for a mix of 1-4BR apartments. Completed in July. www.swiss-arc.ch/de/projekt/w...
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 22/03/2026
Great single stair article on Fast Company today highlighting Seattle and the broader movement around the country to change building codes www.fastcompany.com/91513043/the...
fastcompany.com
The building code rule that lets Seattle turn forgotten lots into housing
Rethinking the building code to allow single-stairwell buildings brought more small-lot, mid-rise apartments to the city—and sparked a wider reform movement.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 14/03/2026
Does the elevator only access 4 units?
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
Despite a massive shortage of units, "Affordable" housing is now more expensive than market-rate housing in several major U.S. cities. I'm not an expert but it feels like U.S. housing industry is broken. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 04/03/2026
San Jose FD, for the CAL FIRE single-stair report, did a simulation of evacuation from a building, both in a stairway segregated from firefighters going up and then shared. It was an interesting Rohrschach test for the group – the FDs thought it looked really bad, the others thought it was fine.
youtu.be
Ingress of Firefighters conducting fire operations during the egress of building occupants
YouTube video by San José Fire Department
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
blue is built grey is proposed and in the entitlement process
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Gregory Duncan @duncanarchitect.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Not the headline I would have gone with. Buildings can be safer with one stair than with two, especially if you reduce the length of the corridor and number of apartments per floor.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
Today's NYT article highlights this map of dozens of Seattle single stair projects located on small lot across the city that can serve as a model for better livability across the U.S. www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...
google.com
Single-Stair Housing - Seattle - Google My Maps
Seattle's single-stair housing taller than 3-stories in height
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Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 04/03/2026
pretty incredible to wake up and find myself and @stephenjacobsmith.com in the @nytimes.com talking about better and more cost effective housing with point access blocks (single stair apartment buildings) www.nytimes.com/2026/03/04/b...
nytimes.com
To Cut Housing Costs, Some States Are Easing Fire Safety Rules
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Ben Christopher @frombenc.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
The report from the State Fire Marshal stresses that IF state legislators want to raise the single stair maximum, they should go no higher than four stories. Meanwhile, @votealexlee.bsky.social has a spot bill to allow single-stair apts "with 4 or more stories." calmatters.org/housing/2026...
calmatters.org
California’s fire safety regulators are finally out with a 'single stair' report. They don’t love the idea
California’s fire safety regulators were asked to study whether mid-rise apartments can go with a single staircase like other countries.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
happening tomorrow: "Using Design Competitions to Improve the Quality of Housing: A Roundtable Discussion" Hosted by Harvard's JCHS, the webinar will look at using competitions to improve housing and create opportunities for design professionals www.jchs.harvard.edu/calendar/usi...
jchs.harvard.edu
Using Design Competitions to Improve the Quality of Housing: A Roundtable Discussion
Susanne Schindler will discuss her recent working paper about how design competitions can address the shortcomings of housing development and design services procurement processes. A roundtable with B...
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
“Rooms to Grow,” KPMB's submission to the National Single Stair Design competition promotes: ☀️ Airy layouts with lightwells 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Generational living using flexible units 🤝 Community-oriented, small-lot development. Read more in KPMB's article - www.kpmb.com/insight/how-...
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Mike Eliason @holz-bau.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
really enjoyed my conversation for this with christine on single stair, how seattle ended up leading on it, why it matters (and exists everywhere else) - and why fixing building codes is so important for housing. @stephenjacobsmith.com @seanjurs.bsky.social nextcity.org/urbanist-new...
nextcity.org
The Seattle Example for Unlocking More Housing, One Stairway at a Time
By rethinking the building code and allowing single-stair apartment buildings, the city made small-lot, mid-rise apartments feasible — and sparked a wider reform movement.
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Reposted by Sean Jursnick
Stephen Jacob Smith @stephenjacobsmith.com · 11/02/2026
One estimate suggests that 18,000 homes a year are not being built because of the UK’s new requirement for a second stairway at 18 meters. Some are advocating to raise the limit to 50 meters, in line with global standards. archive.is/2026.02.09-1...
archive.is
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 10/02/2026
"A close analysis of the US building code development process reveals a system rife ... in which the costs and benefits of regulations are improperly measured (if measured at all)" -UCLA Lewis Center: Cracking the Code (Jan 2026) escholarship.org/content/qt0x...
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
Wisconsin's 6-story single-stair bill dropped last month with 9 bill sponsors. Oddly, the bill creates a council consisting of industry gatekeepers to author the single-stair code including an IRC expert even though 6-story projects would be under the IBC docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2025/related...
docs.legis.wisconsin.gov
Wisconsin Legislature: AB784: Bill Text
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Bringing similar scrutiny to the building code, last year, Utah doubled the allowable number of units permitted under the residential code by allowing 4 unit residential projects. up.codes/viewer/utah/...
up.codes
Chapter 1 Scope and Administration: Utah Residential Code 2021 | UpCodes
UpCodes offers a consolidated resource of construction and building code grouped by jurisdiction
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
A California lawmaker has proposed allowing projects up to 10 units be constructed under the residential code. That's 5x more than the current IBC limit of 2 units. leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTe...
leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
Excited to see The Architect's Newspaper featuring the winners of the National Single Stair Design Competition and their amazing work. www.archpaper.com/2026/01/nati...
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 28/01/2026
Apartment floor plate comparison. Standard double-loaded corridor with single-aspect units on the left. Seattle single-stair project, with triple-aspect units on the right.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Correction: they did make a single-stair should
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
My mistake. Thanks for pointing that out!
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
This month, ULI's Urban Land magazine is featuring Seattle's BB House adaptive reuse project. Not mentioned in the article is the fact that the compact, 5-story addition is made possible with single stair egress and Seattle's unique building code. urbanland.uli.org/resilience-a...
urbanland.uli.org
Project Profile: Why an Ordinary Old Building in Seattle Was Worth Saving
It’s not as if the old two-story building at the corner of 12th and Remington Court, in Seattle’s First Hill neighborhood, was ever particularly remarkable. Even in its original incarnation, it was a ...
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 28/09/2023
Thanks to Seattle's unique stair code, point access blocks like the Alki Condominiums create density on small beachfront lots Located on Alki Beach, the project adds 10 units to the waterfront At 6-stories tall, the Alki Condominiums are illegal to build in most US cities
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
@stephenjacobsmith.com what type of one-person elevator is this and is it available in the U.S.? www.instagram.com/reels/Col4u-...
instagram.com
Pitu Rooms on Instagram: "Stay cozy and caffeinated at PituRasa! Join us every day from 12 PM to 8 PM for some delicious coffee and bites. No reservations needed, just come and relax 💕"
518 likes, 4 comments - piturooms on February 12, 2023: "Stay cozy and caffeinated at PituRasa! Join us every day from 12 PM to 8 PM for some delicious coffee and bites. No reservations needed, just c...
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Tucked on a 9' wide lot, PituRooms is a 6-story, 7-unit hotel dubbed the 'skinniest hotel ever' Built on an overlooked lot in Indonesia, the project creates an efficient use of space and depends on a compact circulation core.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
Happening tomorrow: webinar on single-stair housing led by life safety experts SGH. I am looking forward to the conversation that will explore how we need to be open to new ideas to accommodate new strategies and new ways of providing housing. Registration link: www.sgh.com/news-event/0...
sgh.com
Allowing Six-Story Single-Egress Stair Buildings to Address Affordable Housing Needs
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
Last month, I sat down with Single Stair North Carolina to discuss how Denver's single stair design competition united architects, policymakers, & community leaders. The interview explored lessons learned for communities seeking solutions to the housing crisis. singlestairnc.substack.com
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Built in 1978 as the original "Seattle Special," all 15 units at the 6-story, single-stair Pike & Virginia Building overlook Puget Sound. The first new construction in the Pike Place Market historic district in 50 years, it was designed with a small footprint to meet strict urban design guidelines.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
no idea. i talked to the architects two years ago and they didn't mention and delays.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
VE was tough on this project. It initially has balconies that helped out the facade and massing.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & County is proving what’s possible with Olympic Ridge. With a single-stair design, they’ve managed to fit 17 dual-aspect affordable condos on a incredibly narrow 35-foot wide lot in Capitol Hill. This is a masterclass in urban infill and density done right.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Until then with 5 and 6 story single-stair provisions adopted in various cities over the last few years, I hope that cities like Austin and Denver see the level of small lot, single-stair infill that has already happened in Seattle - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?...
google.com
Single-Stair Housing - Seattle - Google My Maps
Seattle's single-stair housing taller than 3-stories in height
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Single-stair legislation in the last few years has included a patchwork of heights proposed around the US with proposals ranging from 5-stories (adopted Denver) up to 8-stories (proposed in NC last year) so I am eager for the first jurisdiction to adopt 8-10 story single-stair buildings.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
This building height diagram, shared by @stephenjacobsmith.com is from Germany’s regulations limits single-stair as follows: •7m max height with an open staircase and ground ladder access •22m max height w/ an open stair and aerial ladder access •60m max height w/ an enclosed fire stair
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Soon, I hope single-stair regulations evolve similar to a German or Swedish model where single-stair is allowed to greater heights with layered safety features used dependent on the building height.
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Sean Jursnick @seanjurs.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Last week, a reporter asked what’s next for the single-stair movement. My hope? That it does for building codes what @wesmars.bsky.social and "Killed by a Traffic Engineer" did for transit: establish that US building codes are fundamentally outdated and ready for a complete overhaul.
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