To the editor: Reporter Noah Goldberg offers a balanced news account (“Two stairs are required in the Los Angeles apartments. What does that have to do with the housing crisis?” August 29) of the decision of the City of Los Angeles for a 13-1 vote to write an ordinance to modify the city's construction code to allow new apartment buildings up to six floors to have only one staircase (currently the code requires two stairs for buildings of more than three floors). I congratulate and thank Councilor Traci Park for her opposition to the proposed ordinance.
This is a dangerous idea. In order to accelerate more homes, this proposal, if it passes, would risk the lives of men, women and children in buildings. In addition, it puts at greater risk our brave firefighters, police officers and paramedics trying to climb the only ladder of a building while civilians in the building try to go down. Another concern: earthquakes. Scenario: The only staircase collapses and a fire begins, or the gas is released. Would you like to be on the fourth floor? Do you want a relative or friend or someone else to get caught in that situation? Obviously, a second staircase increases the possibilities that people can leave the building safely and that firefighters can better attack fire and/or gas leaks and rescue people.
I urge the Council to reject this risky and potentially deadly proposal.
Rick Tuttle, Culver City
