West Hollywood Soft-Story Ordinance

West Hollywood has a mandatory soft-story retrofit ordinance for certain existing wood-frame buildings with soft, weak, or open-front wall lines. The City’s Soft, Weak or Open-Front Retrofit Program explains that Ordinance No. 17-1004, adopted on April 17, 2017, requires the seismic retrofit of existing wood-frame buildings where the ground floor contains parking or another similar open floor space that creates a SWOF condition with one or more stories above.

The ordinance is part of West Hollywood’s broader seismic retrofit program, which also addresses other vulnerable building types. This page focuses on the wood-frame SWOF provisions, which are most relevant to older soft-story apartment and mixed-use buildings with open lower-story conditions.

Which Buildings Are Covered by West Hollywood’s Soft-Story Ordinance?

West Hollywood’s SWOF ordinance applies to certain existing wood-frame buildings that have vulnerable lower-story conditions. A building may fall within the program if:

It is of wood-frame construction
The permit application for construction was submitted before January 1, 1978
The ground floor contains parking or another similar open floor space
The lower level creates soft, weak, or open-front wall lines
One or more stories exist above the open ground-floor condition

These criteria are tied to the City’s ordinance and its SWOF retrofit design guidelines. Owners should confirm a property’s status through City records, prior notices, and any completed screening or retrofit documentation.

What Is a Soft, Weak, or Open-Front Building?

A soft, weak, or open-front building has a lower story that may not provide enough stiffness or strength to resist earthquake forces. In West Hollywood, this often means an older wood-frame multifamily building with parking, garages, carports, or other open space beneath residential units.

These lower-story openings can weaken the lateral-force-resisting system. During strong ground motion, the upper floors may place high demand on a more flexible first story, increasing the risk of severe deformation, partial collapse, or full story failure.

West Hollywood adopted its SWOF ordinance to reduce earthquake-related risk in buildings that were constructed before modern seismic design standards and may be vulnerable because of open ground-floor conditions.

West Hollywood Notice Dates and Priority Groups

West Hollywood issued compliance notices by priority group. The City’s SWOF program materials identify the following notice issuance dates:

Priority I: buildings containing 16 or more dwelling units, notice issued April 2, 2019
Priority II: buildings with 3 stories or more containing fewer than 16 dwelling units, notice issued June 11, 2019
Priority III: buildings not falling within Priority I or Priority II, notice issued September 4, 2019

These priority groups helped the City phase enforcement and organize the compliance process for affected property owners.

West Hollywood Soft-Story Compliance Timeline

West Hollywood’s SWOF deadlines are measured from the date of the notice to the owner. The City’s timeline gives owners the following milestones:

Submit Screening Report: within 1 year from notice to the owner
Submit Retrofit Plans: within 2 years from notice to the owner
Obtain Permit and Commence Construction: within 4 years from notice to the owner
Complete Construction: within 5 years from notice to the owner

Tenant Habitability Plan

West Hollywood’s SWOF ordinance applies to certain existing wood-frame buildings that have vulnerable lower-story conditions. A building may fall within the program if:

It is of wood-frame construction
The permit application for construction was submitted before January 1, 1978
The ground floor contains parking or another similar open floor space
The lower level creates soft, weak, or open-front wall lines
One or more stories exist above the open ground-floor condition

Current Status for West Hollywood Property Owners

Because the original notices were issued in 2019, many affected properties may now be dealing with permit status, construction completion, final inspection, or unresolved compliance rather than initial notice timing. Owners should confirm whether their building received a notice, which priority group applied, whether a screening report was submitted, whether retrofit plans and permits were approved, and whether construction was completed and finaled.

West Hollywood’s seismic retrofit program FAQ explains that SWOF owners have five years after receiving notice to assess and complete any required retrofitting. If a property’s status is unclear, City records and permit history should be reviewed before assuming the building is compliant or exempt.

Grant Funding and Retrofit Assistance

West Hollywood has also offered seismic retrofit grant support through a FEMA and Cal OES hazard mitigation grant program. The City’s Seismic Retrofit Grant Program rules state that grant funding is limited to eligible seismic retrofits, including SWOF wood-frame buildings built before 1978 and subject to Ordinance No. 17-1004.

Because grant funding, eligibility, and deadlines can change, property owners should verify current funding availability before relying on a specific grant amount or assistance program.

Planning for West Hollywood Soft-Story Compliance

For West Hollywood property owners, the first step is understanding the building’s current status under Ordinance No. 17-1004. That may mean reviewing the original notice, confirming the priority group, checking whether the screening report was accepted, and determining whether retrofit plans, permits, construction, and final approval have been completed.

Retrofit1 can help owners evaluate soft-story concerns, coordinate licensed structural review, and plan retrofit work when strengthening is required. When a property has broader seismic concerns beyond West Hollywood’s SWOF ordinance, those improvements can be evaluated through earthquake retrofitting in West Hollywood while keeping ordinance compliance and general retrofit planning clearly separated.