Soft Story Ordinance Long Beach, CA: Retrofitting Compliance

There is currently no mandatory retrofit ordinance in Long Beach, CA, but the city of Long Beach offers a voluntary seismic program to encourage property owners to strengthen their vulnerable buildings against seismic activity. This seismic retrofit program is aimed at improving the safety of wood frame soft-story buildings, particularly those with soft, weak, or open ground floors, as well as non-ductile concrete structures built before 1977. By addressing these weak or open front wall lines, property owners can enhance the resilience of their structures and reduce the risk of damage during an earthquake.

The city of Long Beach is also working on a proposed building resiliency program, which could introduce future mandatory requirements for soft-story retrofit and other seismic retrofits. These requirements may target existing wood-frame residential buildings and other soft-story buildings with similar open floor space and open front wall lines, ensuring the safety of properties throughout the region. By retrofitting now, property owners can proactively comply with potential future ordinances and protect their investments.

At Retrofit1, we specialize in helping property owners meet the challenges of seismic safety with professional retrofitting services. Whether you’re dealing with wood-frame residential buildings, frame soft-story buildings, or other structures identified as vulnerable buildings, our team can implement a customized plan to reinforce your property. Don’t wait until the city of Long Beach mandates the retrofit—ensure your property is prepared for the unexpected.