Nowhere in the article did it explain why so many new apartments in DC and across America are small studios/1BRs - because we require access to two stairwells (despite the fact that it doesn’t improve fire safety).

Have you ever noticed that all new buildings are like hotels in that all apartments open into a hallway, while in old, walk-up style buildings the door was basically in the stairwell? It’s this same regulation. It’s not like this in any other country, and it makes our housing much more expensive while also making it virtually impossible to build family-sized apartments.