Soft-Story Retrofit CA: Ordinances, Costs & Deadlines

A soft-story building has a weak first floor — typically open tuck-under parking, storefronts, or large openings — under floors of apartments above. These buildings are among the most likely to collapse in a major earthquake, which is why cities across California have passed mandatory retrofit ordinances. If you own an affected building, the law — not the landlord — decides when the work happens.

Which Cities Have Mandatory Ordinances

Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Berkeley, Alameda, Santa Monica, Pasadena, Burbank, and West Hollywood all have active mandatory soft-story programs, and the list keeps growing. Each ordinance specifies which buildings must comply — generally wood-frame multi-family buildings with soft stories built before the mid-1990s. Owners are notified by mail, and the notice starts a compliance clock.

The Retrofit Process, Step by Step

• Screening / assessment — the city confirms your building is in the program and sets your compliance deadlines
• Engineering — a structural engineer evaluates the building and designs the retrofit (steel moment frames, shear walls, foundation work)
• Permit — plans are submitted to the building department; most soft-story permits review in 2–8 weeks
• Construction — typically 2–6 months, with units remaining occupied
• Closeout — the city signs off and your building is removed from the non-compliant list

Costs

Soft-story retrofit engineering (stamped plans and calculations) typically runs $5,000–$25,000 depending on building size and complexity. Construction is the larger number: $60,000–$350,000+ for most wood-frame apartment buildings. Some cities offer permit-fee waivers or fast-track review; several FEMA grant programs have also helped offset costs in certain counties.

Why Owners Act Before the Deadline

Missing an ordinance deadline creates compounding problems: escalating fines, red flags on title and insurance transactions, and in Los Angeles, placement on the public list of non-compliant buildings that tenants and buyers check. Engineering is the long lead-time item — get stamped plans early and the rest of the schedule is under your control.