Come Thursday, the Idaho Falls City Council, may approve a new ordinance that could change the way apartment complexes are built.
And it could raise the cost of housing in Idaho Falls.
Currently, only five and six plexes are required to have these residential sprinkler systems installed within their units.
But come Thursday, if the ordinance passes, future renters and home owners will be affected.

The Eastern Idaho Home Builder's Association says this will hike up prices.

Hyrum Johnson, Eastern Idaho Home Builder's Association: " It can cost a lot, like six to nine thousand dollars per unit to install in the multi-family home."

But the city council says safety is the bottom line.

Kenneth Taylor, I.F. City Council: "A fire starts in one can spread to others so this is for the protection of other occupants in other apartments."

But Johnson says if its about lives being saved, then the question is who's lives.
He compares the new units which will be required to have this system, to people in a sinking ship on lifeboats.

Johnson:"Some in lifeboats, some treading water, so do we give few life jackets to people in the life boats, or give to the people trying to stay afloat the jackets."
Johnson: "This proposal only gives life jackets to people sitting in lifeboats."

But the city says realistically this is the way to go.

Taylor: "Cost of putting in new facility less than remodeling an old facility."

Johnson disagrees.

Johnson: "We can have more effect to enact something with newer homes which already built safer, bring older homes up to standard and make them safer."

He says building technology has improved, so newer homes are safer.

But from a fireman's stand point that doesn't cut it.

Ken Anderson, Fire Marshall: "New homes are being built, there's a trade off with light frame construction that don't hold off heat of fire."
"It'll put considerable amount of effort to reducing size of that fire."

The city council will meet Thursday night to make a decision.
They do plan on voting that night, and if the decision is approved, it will then become law.