Soft Story Ordinance San Jose, CA: Compliance Information

A mandatory retrofit ordinance and program in San Jose will go into effect on April 1, 2025. This proposed ordinance requires seismic retrofit measures for soft-story buildings in San Jose. These include wood-frame residential buildings built before 1990 with at least three dwelling units and subject buildings that have large openings on the first floor used for parking or storage. Soft-story buildings, particularly those with two or more stories, are at higher risk of collapse during earthquakes, as seen during the 1989 Loma Prieta and 1994 Northridge earthquakes.

The city council and the community development commission have outlined compliance requirements to ensure property owners adhere to the uniform building code. Construction deadlines depend on the subject building’s group, categorized by dwelling units and construction date. The initial screening must be completed by October 1, 2026, and earthquake retrofit completion is required between April 2030 and April 2032. To support property owners, San Jose, California, has allocated a $4.6 million FEMA grant to minimize property damage and offset retrofitting costs.