Nearly 6,000 Buildings Remain At-Risk for Earthquake Destruction in Los Angeles
Attention Los Angeles residents, there are still 6,000 vulnerable residential and office buildings lacking the necessary structural retrofits to withstand a large earthquake!
If you live in Southern California, you know earthquakes pose a very real and dangerous threat. This threat is the reason why many cities in and around Southern California have mandated the retrofitting of structures lacking the necessary safeguards to withstand the shaking from a large quake.
And if you live in a house, apartment building, or work in an office building that was constructed before 1996, chances are the structure needs to be seismically retrofitted.
According to records accessed by The Times, 6,000 buildings have been identified as vulnerable structures and in need of earthquake retrofits. “Most of the buildings awaiting improvements are soft-story condos and apartments,” reports The Times.
Cities that have passed retrofit laws include Los Angeles, Torrance, Pasadena, Santa Monica, Culver City, West Hollywood, and Beverly Hills.
While many of the deadlines were set to expire already, under the COVID-19 lockdowns they were extended.
Click HERE to see if you live in a building on this list!
“Santa Monica has led the effort in tackling upgrades to several structures, with 57% of its identified buildings retrofitted,” reports the Times. “In L.A., nearly 75% of qualifying soft-story and 6% of non-ductile concrete buildings are now retrofitted.”
However, this current list does not account for the non-ductile concrete buildings that still need to file their retrofit plans. These buildings have until 2028 to do so.
“The list of buildings in need of a retrofit will only grow in the coming years. By summer 2024, L.A. County anticipates passing an ordinance for high-rise non-ductile concrete buildings in unincorporated areas, where 1 million people live with a 10-year deadline,” The Times reports.
Retrofitting homes, apartment structures, and commercial buildings are the way to keeping California resilient in the face of earthquakes – and cost far less than repairing damage from a large seismic event.
If you think your home may be in need of earthquake retrofitting, foundation repair, or foundation replacement, contact Julian Construction today and we will send one of our foundation specialists out to conduct a free, thorough inspection with a quote for repair.
We have extensive experience serving our Los Angeles, Ventura County, and Santa Barbara communities and nearby regions. In fact, Julian Construction has inspected over 30,000 structures in the area! Give us a call at (323) 733-3377 to schedule your free inspection or complete the inspection request form.
