{"id":1785,"date":"2026-09-02T16:25:28","date_gmt":"2026-09-02T23:25:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.metroabundance.org\/?post_type=legislation&p=1785"},"modified":"2026-09-02T16:25:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T23:25:28","slug":"elevator-reform-building-code","status":"publish","type":"legislation","link":"https:\/\/www.metroabundance.org\/legislations\/elevator-reform-building-code\/","title":{"rendered":"Elevator Reform (Building Code)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

About the bill<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we exclude elevators from apartment buildings, we effectively exclude millions of people from our neighborhood. By updating these rules, we can unlock thousands of affordable, accessible homes and ensure disabled people aren\u2019t excluded from their own communities.\u201d<\/p>\u2014 The Kelsey<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What this bill does<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This bill makes it less expensive to include elevators in new housing, which will expand the supply of multi-family homes. It allows smaller, accessible elevators in buildings of up to six stories and 24 homes, and replaces requirements for larger elevators that make many small apartment projects infeasible. The bill preserves all safety requirements and brings local and state elevator standards in line with national standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why it’s needed<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Elevator installations in apartment buildings in the United States can cost three times more than in other countries. A patchwork of outdated local elevator codes requires unnecessary testing, oversized equipment, and additional regulations that add to complexity and cost \u2013 with no measurable improvement in safety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A 2024 Center for Building Studies report<\/a> found that peer nations install wheelchair-accessible elevators for around $50,000 each; in the U.S., the same installation starts at $150,000. These costs hit smaller mid-rise buildings hardest; higher elevator costs on four- to eight-story apartment buildings often make the difference between a project that pencils and one that doesn’t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently asked questions<\/h4>\n\n\n
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This bill makes it cheaper and faster to put elevators in apartment buildings by bringing local elevator regulations in line with national and international best practices.<\/p>\n

Specifically, it:<\/p>\n