NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Nashville City Council has approved legislation aimed at making housing more affordable by allowing the construction of "Smart Stair" buildings, which could potentially reduce rental rates by up to 22%.
Some agencies report Tennessee families are spending nearly half of their monthly income on living expenses, despite experts recommending that housing costs should only account for about a third of your yearly income.
"Nashville is just too expensive, and we don't just need more middle-class housing. We need better housing," said councilman Rollin Horton.
The new legislation expands the city's building code to allow for "Smart Stair construction" - six-story high apartments and condos built with a single staircase instead of the traditional two staircases required in most building codes.
Councilmember Horton, who sponsored the bill, believes this will save on construction costs and ultimately lower rental rates.
"It allows more traditional architecture (and) things that look better," Horton said.
He added that Nashville residents are tired of large, boxy apartment buildings that consume entire city blocks.
"This allows for more compact buildings and more green space, more natural lighting, more ventilation, lower cooling cost, and better, more attractive buildings," Horton said.
Some residents remain skeptical about both the safety and economic impact of the new building style.
"If something happens, one staircase seems not ideal," said one Nashville resident.
Another added, "I'll believe it when I see it," regarding the promise of lower rents.
Nashville joins New York and Seattle in implementing this kind of smart or single-stair construction. According to Horton, no permits have been filed yet for this type of construction since the legislation passed.
Nashville's housing landscape is changing with these new "Smart Stair" buildings. Do you have questions about how this might affect your neighborhood or rental options? Reach out at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com with your questions or experiences. Your input helps us tell the complete story of Nashville's housing evolution.
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
