7 Year Itch

I have been a partner in the same TIC since 2000. They say in marriage you hit a 7 year itch. Well I think I'm hitting the 7 year itch point. We have an outdoor staircase in our 100 year old building that needs to be replaced. It is a second means of egress for three of the units in our building. Three other units, on the other side of the building, have a fire escape ladder. Neither of these things conforms with current city code. The fire escape is in good working order; the wooden staircase is a hazard. It seems to me, and most of the partners in the TIC, that repairing the staircase is a no brainer. Why is there always one dissenter who makes things difficult for everyone?

Yes, we have someone in our building bombarding us all with emails that advocate for the removal of the staircase, which would leave three units with back doors to nowhere and no doubt get us in hot water with the City fire safety inspector.

This is a level of ridiculousness that after seven years of negotiating every detail of building management I find hard to take.