June 2, 2025 The Best Source of News, Culture, Lifestyle for Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Palms and West Los Angeles

LA Wants Updates on Earthquake Retrofit Compliance

The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to get a full update on seismic retrofits required by law in roughly 15,000 buildings, a move that comes as the city is also exploring the creation of a program to help property owners pay for the upgrades.

The council passed an ordinance in 2015 requiring the retrofitting, but the high up-front costs can cause enormous financial strain on property owners and could prevent its implementation, according to a motion introduced by Councilman Mitchell Englander and approved last month.

The new motion approved on a 12-0 vote directs the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety to draft a report which includes how many property owners are in compliance with the ordinance, enforcement measures that have been taken to ensure compliance, and how many buildings are still in need of a retrofit.

When Mayor Eric Garcetti signed the 2015 ordinance into law, it gave Los Angeles the nation’s strongest earthquake safety rules. The measure applies to older buildings considered vulnerable in major earthquakes, including roughly 13,500 wood-framed “soft-story” buildings with weak lower floors, such as multi-story apartments with tuck-under parking spaces, and an estimated 1,500 vulnerable concrete buildings.

Under the ordinance, seismic retrofits of wooden structures must occur within seven years, and retrofits of concrete buildings within 25 years, with certain benchmarks to be met along the way.

The ordinance targets buildings constructed prior to the enactment of seismic building standards, which include pre-1978 soft-story wooden buildings and concrete buildings with permits dating back to before Jan. 13, 1977.

Retrofitting can cost upwards of $130,000 for wood-frame buildings and millions of dollars for larger concrete buildings. The city does have programs that focus on cost recovery for owners, but there are no programs that provide up-front financial assistance, according to Englander’s motion.

Once the work is completed, an owner can recover 50 percent of the cost through the city’s Seismic Retrofit Program. But if the work cannot be completed within the time frame, the building could be demolished and impact the city’s effort to maintain as much of its affordable housing as possible at a time of rising homelessness and spikes in the cost of renting or owning a home.

A possible source of funding for the program could be the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, according to the motion. The fund has been depleted in recent years due to cuts in federal funding, but it could benefit from a windfall by next year as a result of the City Council and Garcetti signing off late last year on a linkage fee for developers that’s predicted to generate about $100 million annually for the fund.

“Providing assistance to property owners required to seismically secure their buildings would directly prevent the loss of the city’s already limited and valuable affordable and rent-stabilized housing stock,” the motion says.

A Santa Monica apartment building destroyed by the Northridge earthquake in 1994.
Photo: Getty Images
Related Posts

Alpine Floor & Home: A Legacy of Quality Since 1968

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Founded in 1968 with a single location, Alpine Floor & Home began as a humble family business with a clear...

Chin Chin to Close West Hollywood Location After 45 Years of Service

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

Iconic Sunset Plaza Restaurant Announces Final Day of Operations Chin Chin, the iconic Chinese eatery that has been a fixture...

LACMA’s $700M David Geffen Galleries to Open in 2026

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

New Structure Will Replace Original Midcentury Buildings Construction crews are entering the final stretch on the David Geffen Galleries, a...

Criterion Mobile Closet Arrives in L.A. for Two-Day Stop at Santa Monica’s Aero Theatre

June 2, 2025

June 2, 2025

More Than 1,000 Classic Titles June 6–7 During American Cinematheque’s Bleak Week  Following its successful appearances at SXSW and Vidiots...

Lane Closures Return to PCH in Malibu for Fire Recovery and Emergency Repairs

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Traffic Will Be Impacted as Caltrans and the USACE Conduct Cleanup  The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) has announced updated...

Update: Police Non-Emergency Line Temporarily Down Due to Service Outage in Culver City

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Emergency 9-1-1 Services Remain Active; Alternate Numbers are Available  UPDATE – Monday, June 2 at 7:25 am The Culver City...

Culver City to Frame Iconic Tree with Landmark Sculpture by Charles Gaines

June 1, 2025

June 1, 2025

Acclaimed Conceptual Artist’s Public Artwork Enters Final Phase Culver City is moving forward with the final phase of an ambitious...

Defensible Space, Defined: How A Plus Tree Protects Communities from Wildfire

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

In the wildfire-prone landscapes of the Western United States, safeguarding homes and communities requires proactive measures. A Plus Tree, a...

WeHo Pride Weekend Begins and 2025 Icons Announced: Parades, Concerts, and Community Celebration Kicks Off

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025

Three-Day LGBTQ+ Festival Features Performances by Lizzo, Maren Morris, and Kim Petras West Hollywood is preparing to kick off its...

Palisades Village to Reopen in 2026 with Revamped Retail, Dining, and Community Spaces

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Elysewalker Set to Return With Park Reconstruction, Holiday Events, and Streetscape Upgrades Palisades Village, the open-air shopping and lifestyle destination...

Bel Air Seventh Grader Reaches Finals of Scripps National Spelling Bee

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Oliver Halkett of Mirman School Competed on Thursday for a $50,000 prize Thirteen-year-old Oliver Halkett, a seventh grader from Mirman...

(Video) Signs That Your Aging Loved Ones Are in Need of Caregiving

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

To Find Out More, Go To Safelyhomeagain.com To Find Out More, Go To https://t.co/ZCPyKHj5aq pic.twitter.com/cDTEPjfA6s — Westside Today (@WestsideLAToday) May...

Two Men Charged in Culver City Kidnapping and Robbery After Victim Forced to Withdraw Cash

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Suspects Allegedly Abducted Man at Gunpoint, Drove Him to Multiple Banks  Two men have been arrested and formally charged in...

Salt & Straw Unveils Summer Pie Series with Five Seasonal Ice Cream Flavors

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025

Five New Flavors Inspired by Classic Summer Pies Will Be Introduced Salt & Straw is giving summer a scoopable twist...

(Video) Interviews with Rick Caruso and Elyse Walker, with a Dennis Quaid cameo

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

We spoke at the Press Conference to announce plans to reopen Palisades Village Shopping Mall. Actor Dennis Quaid arrives to...