Across Virginia and beyond, the relationship between housing affordability, code reform, and construction safety is evolving. One of the most consequential—and technical—questions under review today is whether certain multi-family residential buildings should be permitted to use a single stairwell for means of egress.
This question is now before Virginia’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as part of the state’s formal implementation process for Senate Bill 195 (SB195), which calls for evaluation of single-stair R-2 occupancy structures. The Stakeholder Advisory Committee, reconvening June 24, 2025, was established to assess whether such a design could be safely, lawfully, and effectively incorporated into the Uniform Statewide Building Code (USBC).
Eric S. Cavallo, founder and president of Earthly Infrastructure® Building and Infrastructure Development Inc., was appointed to the DHCD advisory committee in Fall 2024. He serves in a personal capacity, drawing on his background as a Virginia-licensed Commercial Building Contractor, member of the International Code Council (ICC), and sitting board member on the Virginia Beach Board of Zoning Appeals.
The committee’s legislative sponsor and policy lead is Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg, whose commitment to housing innovation and public safety helped bring this issue forward through the 2024 General Assembly. His continued involvement ensures that technical expertise and legislative intent remain aligned as the advisory group works toward a proposed code update.
“It is an honor to represent Virginia’s licensed contractors at this table,” said Cavallo. “As we explore design alternatives, we must maintain a clear view of our legal and ethical responsibility to protect life safety through enforceable, code-compliant solutions.”
Proponents of single-stair buildings cite cost savings, spatial efficiency, and architectural flexibility—particularly in constrained infill lots. However, challenges remain, including travel distance limitations, vertical egress concerns, and fire department access protocols. The discussion now underway must account for both the design benefits and the life-safety risks associated with this building typology.
Earthly Infrastructure® is not a participant on the advisory committee as a company, but we fully support our founder’s role in contributing to this process. Our firm operates with a core commitment to lawful construction, code accountability, and regulatory transparency. Any reform to the USBC must be guided by measurable outcomes, not marketing narratives.
The next phase of this code evaluation begins June 24. As Virginia shapes the future of its building standards, we are proud to be part of a professional community that understands: progress is not the absence of regulation—it is the presence of responsibility.