Seismic Retrofitting Is Not Optional for Many LA Buildings
The City of Los Angeles and several neighboring municipalities have enacted mandatory seismic retrofit ordinances for certain building types. If you own a soft-story apartment building — typically a multi-story structure with tuck-under parking or large openings on the ground floor — you may have a compliance deadline approaching.
Which Buildings Are Affected?
The City of LA’s mandatory retrofit ordinance (Ordinance 183893) targets wood-frame soft-story buildings with at least two stories and with a ground-floor soft, weak, or open-front condition. Most affected buildings were built before 1978. The city identified approximately 13,500 buildings requiring retrofit.
Other LA County cities including Santa Monica, Pasadena, and West Hollywood have their own retrofit requirements with varying timelines and specifications.
Typical Costs and Timeline
Soft-story retrofit costs typically range from $60,000 to $200,000+ depending on building size, configuration, and soil conditions. Most projects take 3-6 months from permit to completion. The cost per unit generally decreases with building size — a 20-unit building will cost less per door than a 5-unit building.
Managing the Retrofit Process
The key to a successful retrofit project is coordination: engineering, permitting, construction, and tenant communication must all be managed simultaneously. Tenants need advance notice of construction impacts, alternative parking arrangements during structural work, and clear communication throughout the process.
Highland Pacific’s construction management team has overseen seismic retrofits across our managed portfolio, handling everything from initial engineering to final inspection. Because we also manage the properties, we coordinate directly with tenants and minimize operational disruption.
Call (323) 515-0826 if your building needs a seismic retrofit assessment.
