The city of Los Angeles has started a program to keep buildings safe, reliable, and secure against the destructive effect of an earthquake. And, being a resident of Los Angeles, it’s necessary to know in detail about this program and its related regulations before constructing a soft-story building. The distinctive design of tuck-in parking on the ground floor makes soft-story buildings vulnerable during any seismic activity.
This seismic retrofit program for soft-story was passed by the city of Los Angeles in 2015. And then, Santa Monica quickly followed this law in 2016, and later on, West Hollywood also joined this program in 2017. In addition, cities such as Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Downey, Long Beach, Burbank, Glendale, Torrance, and other several municipalities have passed local ordinances to require seismic retrofits.
In order to know about the Los Angeles earthquake retrofit program, a homeowner can contact well-qualified and professional soft story retrofit contractors. At Lux Construction Group, we inform members about the entire ordinance and inform them of the steps they need to take to comply with this new law.
In the following write-up, we’re going to describe in detail this new Los Angeles earthquake retrofit law, how it affects you, what it costs, and what are other new compliance deadlines – so you can prepare yourself in advance!
Los Angeles Soft-Story Retrofit Program
Sandy and quiet beaches make Southern California a popular tourist destination. However, it is also susceptible to earthquakes. In California, there are usually a few earthquakes of moderate size each year, which cause moderate structural damage.
In 1994, when Los Angeles was hit by a major earthquake, we lost 60 people along with millions of dollars in damages. Plus, many building foundations have cracked and collapsed since seismic activities continue. That’s why it becomes necessary to make buildings vulnerable to earthquakes through a soft-story retrofit program.
The city of Los Angeles has a soft-story retrofit program which includes building standards for preventing damage from earthquakes. The program was introduced after the 1994 Northridge earthquake and was enacted in 2008.
By implementing new regulations and laws, the city government encourages building owners and operators to make sure their structures are considered safe both from an engineering standpoint and to withstand the destructive effects of an earthquake.
Also Read: 10 Techniques For Retrofitting a Building in Los Angeles
Criteria for Buildings Requiring Retrofit
Under the mandatory seismic retrofit program, Ordinance 183893, the city of Los Angeles has passed an ordinance requiring the retrofitting of apartment structures built with wood frames. The structures that are at risk of being severely damaged during an earthquake need to be updated within a limited period of time. In fact, the retrofitting of soft stories is not just a recommendation, it.s a legal requirement for the owners of Los Angeles.
In Los Angeles, now there are the toughest earthquake safety regulations on the planet.
The Los Angeles Times reported that, under Los Angeles retrofit law, property owners will have seven years to fix their wood buildings, and 25 years to fix their concrete buildings. There are currently over 13,500 structure (apartment) complexes in Los Angeles that should be retrofitted. An investigation by the Times in 2013 revealed thousands of dollars in concrete buildings in the downtown, Westwood, and Hollywood areas, which require careful and close consideration for retrofitting.
Los Angeles Soft Story Retrofit Program (Ordinance 183893)
Buildings in Los Angeles that are considered at high risk for structural failure during an earthquake must undergo retrofit work. These buildings typically have a weak first floor, such as those with large openings or tuck-under parking, and contain three or more residential units.
Retrofit Requirements and Standards
The retrofit work required under Los Angeles retrofit laws must meet specific standards to ensure the building is strengthened to withstand earthquakes. This work may include adding braces or shear walls to the building’s structure, reinforcing the foundation, and upgrading the building’s electrical and plumbing systems. Building owners are responsible for ensuring that the retrofit work meets the required standards and is completed by the deadline set by the city.
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Constructed Before 1978
Los Angeles uses age and code standards as one of its criteria for deciding which buildings need retrofitting and which are soft-story buildings. The structural strength of buildings built before January 1, 1978, isn’t adequate to withstand earthquakes. Codes that were enacted before January 1, 1978, didn’t reflect the current technologically advanced materials and techniques that contribute to earthquake resistance.
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Wood Frame Construction For Two or More Stories
When a building has two or more stories of wood frame construction, the city uses this criterion to decide whether it should undergo mandatory retrofitting. As a result, most of the buildings with two or more wood frames had weak points because they were not adequately supported.
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Contains Open Space Ground Floor
Soft-story buildings are also susceptible to damage from seismic activities if they have an open ground floor. Garages, stores, or large windows can all be examples of the open ground floor. During an earthquake, these open spaces are less likely to be reinforced, making them more susceptible to collapse.
Notice to Comply Letter
In 2016, the city of Los Angeles sent out Notice To Comply letters to all soft-story building owners. These letters were mandating that they must implement an earthquake retrofit program to ensure that their building structure is resistant to seismic activities.
Within two years of receiving your letter, you must submit engineering plans to the city to retrofit your property. However, if you don’t wish to retrofit your property, you must send drawings to demolish it within 3.5 years.
According to the law, property owners in Santa Monica and West Hollywood are required to provide a structural evaluation performed by an engineer to assess the seismic performance of the structure. As soon as your plans and Structural Evaluation are approved, you must ensure that the structure is retrofitted or demolished according to your needs.
Also Read: The Right Seismic Retrofitting Techniques For Your House
Updated Compliance Deadlines in Los Angeles
Under the soft story retrofit deadline (Ordinance 183893), the homeowners living in Los Angeles who have wood-frame soft-story buildings and non-ductile concrete buildings built before 1978 are required to retrofit their homes. The overall aim of this mandatory retrofit program is to improve the performance of these structures during earthquakes by reducing structural weaknesses. Otherwise, when earthquakes occur, these vulnerable buildings may be prone to structural collapse.
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- February 21, 2020 – Compliance Tier Change – If your structure appears to have been categorized incorrectly, you can contact our contractors if your structure is subject to the project.
- February 27, 2020 – Exemption – If you believe that your building is not eligible for the soft-story seismic retrofit program in Los Angeles, you can take consultation from our experts for further assistance.
What Is the Impact of the Seismic Retrofit Law?
There is no debate any longer as to whether or not an earthquake will strike Southern California – the only question is when will it happen. You’re more likely to suffer a catastrophe if you don’t have your soft-story retrofit in Los Angeles in a timely manner.
The collapse of an unreinforced building could cause irreversible damage to the structure and to its occupants. But did you know you could be held responsible for such catastrophes? There are numerous cases of earthquakes resulting in property and bodily damage that result in property owners being sued for seven-figure sums.
However, do you know that retrofitting structures isn’t only a great idea that could save lives and your building from a costly lawsuit, but it can also lower your insurance costs? Moreover, you can apply for grants, tax breaks, and financial aid to assist you in protecting your building. In addition, your tenants help you pay for these repairs – up to 50%.
Soft-Story Retrofitting Cost In Los Angeles County
Well, the earthquake retrofit cost in Los Angeles depends on homeowners’ requirements, building types, as well as other possible needs of your structure. In Los Angeles, many builders and contractors charge a competitive price.
According to the Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPSS), these retrofits are expected to cost between $60,000 and $130,000, depending on the size of the building.
The CEA estimates that retrofit costs between $3,000 and $7,000, and generally takes two to three days to complete, depending on the type of home you have and where you live. You can expect to pay anywhere from $500 to $10,000 for seismic retrofitting, depending on the type of foundation, the size of your home, and the work you need to do.
Take Help From Professionals
Our seismic retrofit contractor in Los Angeles are well-qualified and skilled professionals who work directly with homeowners. We ensure that we retrofit your soft-story buildings whether you’re planning to build a new home or have an old structure. We built it according to the new Ordinance so that occupants remain safe from a devastating earthquake.
Our team of professionals would love to inspect your constructed building structure properly. Also, we conduct an on-site Structural Evaluation and determine whether retrofitting is required for your structure.
Across Los Angeles, our team makes sure all buildings comply with the comprehensive new rules and regulations designed to save time, money, and lives. So, let’s know if you need help in building a soft-story retrofit house or commercial place.
