Building Design Improves Through YIMBY Zoning Reform

YIMBY advocates want zoning reform to allow for better-designed housing, not just more of it.
Strict US building codes limit creativity and lead to boxy, repetitive buildings.
Loosening design rules — such as those around stairwells — could produce more attractive, family-friendly housing.

Key Takeaways

Design as a Policy Tool

The Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) movement focuses on increasing housing supply, per Bloomberg. But another benefit is often overlooked: better-looking buildings. Some architects and policy experts say reforms could improve building design and lead to more attractive, livable urban housing.

What’s Holding Design Back

Most US cities require large apartment buildings to use double-loaded corridors. These are long hallways with stairwells at both ends. The rule aims to improve fire safety, but it also limits how architects can design homes.

As a result, developers build bulky, boxy “5-over-1” buildings — five floors of wood over a concrete base. These structures appear in cities coast to coast and often face public criticism for looking bland or oversized.

How Europe Does It Better

In Europe and South America, many buildings use single-stair layouts. These “point-access” designs allow more natural light, slimmer floor plans, and varied unit types.

For example, HHF Architects fit the Landskronhof building into a narrow lot in Basel. In Paris, Jean-Christophe Quinton created a sleek social housing project with just one stairwell. Neither of these designs would meet US code.

A Missed Opportunity

Building design usually enters housing debates as a way to block change. Historic district rules and design mandates can delay projects or raise costs. But design can also help support density.

Law professors Chris Elmendorf and David Schleicher argue that YIMBY groups should focus more on city governance. If cities run well and look better, residents may support higher-density housing.

Why This Matters

Pro-housing efforts have made progress in both red and blue states. Adding design improvements could help the movement grow further. Better-looking buildings may ease public fears about new development.

What’s Ahead

Support is growing for “single-stair reform” and other code changes. These policies could unlock new types of housing — ones that are cheaper to build and more pleasant to live in. If cities update their rules, the US could see more beautiful, functional buildings in neighborhoods everywhere.