Building Codes Are Political. We Just Don't Talk About Them. (with Ed Mendoza)

The zoning debate is about what we build and for whom. The building code is supposed to be about how we build it. But the "how" has a way of quietly dictating the "what" and "whom" — making the building code just as political and just as consequential to our cities as anything that happens at a planning commission.In this episode, host Kate Gasparro talks with Eduardo Mendoza, Policy Manager at the Metropolitan Abundance Project and California YIMBY, about the silent rulebook shaping nearly every piece of city infrastructure around you. They cover what building codes actually are and where they come from, why an American elevator costs three times as much as a European one, and how requirements like double staircases and sprinkler thresholds quietly kill the small multifamily buildings that make for more sustainable cities.The conversation digs into how outdated rules are slowing the shift toward sustainable infrastructure and walkable, mid-rise neighborhoods, and what reforms — from single-stair buildings to performance-based codes — could change about the development landscape. They close on the harder question: who actually has the power to rewrite the code governing building infrastructure across the country, and on what timeline change is realistic.If you care about housing affordability, sustainable cities, or the future of how we build, this is an episode worth your time.Resources: North America’s Elevator Problem (About Here)The American Elevator Explains Why Housing Costs Have Skyrocketed (NYTimes)The hidden double standards driving our housing crisis (Vox)Decades-Old Zoning and Building Codes are Responsible for Our Housing Choices (Common Edge)Your city legalized triplexes. The building code said no. (Congress for New Urbanism)Why single-stair reform leads to more livable, adaptable infill (Congress for New Urbanism)Thanks for listening to Building Better Cities! If you'd like to stay connected, don't forget to Subscribe and Follow. You can find all our archived newsletters and podcasts right here. Want to get in touch? Just email the team at [email protected].