Santa Monica Soft Story Retrofit Deadline 2026: Compliance Requirements & Costs

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Santa Monica's mandatory soft story retrofit program represents one of the most aggressive seismic safety initiatives in California. The city identified approximately 2,000 wood-frame buildings with soft, weak, or open-front ground-floor conditions — buildings where tuck-under parking, large commercial storefronts, or open garage areas create a structural vulnerability that has caused catastrophic collapses in past earthquakes.

The 1994 Northridge earthquake devastated Santa Monica's soft story building inventory. Sixteen people died in the Northridge Meadows apartment complex — a soft story building that pancake-collapsed when the weak first floor failed under lateral seismic forces. That tragedy, combined with extensive damage to Santa Monica's apartment stock along Lincoln Boulevard, Ocean Park Boulevard, and Montana Avenue, drove the city to adopt one of California's first mandatory retrofit ordinances.

Today, Santa Monica property owners must comply with the retrofit timeline or face escalating enforcement actions. AAA Engineering Design provides licensed structural engineering services for soft story retrofit compliance in Santa Monica and across Southern California. Call **(949) 981-4448** for a free engineering assessment.

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A soft story building is a multi-story structure where one floor — typically the ground floor — is significantly less rigid or weaker than the floors above it. The most common configuration in Santa Monica is a two-to-four-story wood-frame apartment building with ground-floor parking beneath residential units. The open parking area lacks the structural walls present on upper floors, creating a discontinuity in the lateral force-resisting system.

During an earthquake, seismic forces concentrate at the weak ground floor. Without adequate bracing, the ground floor collapses sideways while upper floors remain relatively intact — producing the characteristic "pancake" failure pattern. This failure mode is sudden, catastrophic, and frequently fatal for ground-floor occupants.

The seismic vulnerability of these buildings is well-documented. FEMA's HAZUS loss estimation methodology classifies soft story wood-frame buildings as having the highest expected damage ratios of any wood building type in Seismic Design Category D zones — which includes all of Santa Monica.

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Santa Monica adopted its mandatory seismic retrofitting ordinance under Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) Chapter 8.80. The ordinance established a multi-phase compliance timeline based on building priority:

**Phase 1 — Highest Priority Buildings** Buildings with the greatest vulnerability (3+ stories, 5+ units, pre-1978 construction with open-front parking). These buildings received the earliest compliance deadlines.

**Phase 2 — Moderate Priority Buildings** Two-story buildings with soft story conditions and smaller multi-family buildings.

**Phase 3 — Lower Priority Buildings** Remaining buildings identified through the city's screening process.

As of February 2026, Santa Monica's retrofit program has progressed through multiple compliance phases. Property owners who received notification letters from the Santa Monica Department of Building & Safety are required to:

The city tracks compliance status and sends escalating notices to non-compliant property owners. Santa Monica's enforcement approach has included:

Santa Monica imposes escalating penalties for non-compliance with the soft story retrofit deadline:

| Compliance Phase | First Penalty | Subsequent Penalties | Additional Consequences | |-----------------|---------------|---------------------|------------------------| | Past initial deadline | $500 - $1,000 | $1,000 - $5,000 per month | Administrative citation | | 6+ months past deadline | $5,000+ | Escalating monthly fines | Tenant notification required | | 12+ months past deadline | $10,000+ | Continuing monthly fines | Potential rent reduction order | | 24+ months past deadline | $25,000+ | Continuing fines | Possible occupancy restrictions |

These penalties accumulate and do not replace the retrofit requirement. Property owners must still complete the retrofit regardless of penalties paid.

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A licensed structural engineer performs an on-site evaluation of the building to document:

This assessment typically costs $2,000-$4,000 in Santa Monica and takes 1-2 weeks to complete.

Based on the assessment, the structural engineer designs the retrofit system. Common retrofit approaches for Santa Monica soft story buildings include:

**Steel Moment Frames.** The most common retrofit solution for Santa Monica soft story buildings. Steel moment frames are installed at the ground floor to provide the lateral stiffness and strength missing from the open parking configuration. These frames allow parking and vehicle access to continue while providing seismic resistance.

**Steel Brace Frames.** Concentrically braced frames (CBFs) or buckling-restrained braced frames (BRBFs) provide an alternative when moment frames are not feasible due to spatial constraints. Brace frames are more compact but restrict openings.

**Plywood Shear Walls.** For buildings where the ground floor has some existing wall segments, adding structural plywood sheathing with proper nailing patterns and hold-down connections provides a cost-effective retrofit. This approach works best for smaller buildings with limited opening requirements.

**Foundation Strengthening.** Many Santa Monica soft story retrofits require foundation engineering upgrades — new concrete footings beneath steel frame columns, foundation tie beams, and anchor bolt installations. Existing foundations often lack the capacity to resist the concentrated forces from new steel frames.

Engineering design for a Santa Monica soft story retrofit typically costs $5,000-$15,000 and takes 3-6 weeks. The deliverables include structural calculations, construction drawings, and specifications.

Santa Monica's Building & Safety Department reviews structural retrofit plans through their standard plan check process. Key considerations:

Engineers experienced with Santa Monica's plan check process produce plans that minimize correction cycles. AAA Engineering Design's familiarity with Santa Monica Building & Safety requirements reduces approval timelines.

Soft story retrofit construction in Santa Monica involves:

Construction duration for a typical Santa Monica soft story retrofit: 8-16 weeks. Construction cost: $50,000-$200,000+ depending on building size, number of frames, and foundation complexity.

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| Cost Component | Range | Notes | |---------------|-------|-------| | Structural assessment | $2,000 - $4,000 | On-site evaluation + report | | Structural engineering design | $5,000 - $15,000 | Calculations + construction drawings | | Plan check fees | $3,000 - $8,000 | Santa Monica Building & Safety | | Permit fees | $2,000 - $5,000 | Based on construction valuation | | Steel fabrication & erection | $25,000 - $100,000 | Moment frames, braces, connections | | Foundation work | $10,000 - $50,000 | New footings, tie beams, anchors | | General conditions & overhead | $5,000 - $20,000 | Contractor mobilization, site management | | Special inspections | $3,000 - $10,000 | Welding, bolting, concrete testing | | Fire protection | $2,000 - $8,000 | Intumescent coatings or enclosures | | **Total project cost** | **$50,000 - $200,000+** | **Varies by building size and complexity** |

**Building size.** A 6-unit, two-story building costs significantly less to retrofit than a 30-unit, four-story building. Per-unit costs range from $5,000-$15,000 per residential unit.

**Number of parking spaces.** More parking spaces means wider ground-floor openings, requiring more steel frames and larger foundations.

**Soil conditions.** Santa Monica's alluvial soils generally provide adequate bearing capacity, but buildings near the coast (Ocean Avenue, Palisades area) may have sandy or fill conditions requiring deeper foundations.

**Access constraints.** Buildings on narrow Santa Monica streets (particularly in the Ocean Park neighborhood and south of Montana Avenue) have limited construction access, increasing construction costs.

**Tenant relocation.** While most soft story retrofits allow tenants to remain in their units during construction, some configurations require temporary relocation. Santa Monica's Rent Control Board has specific requirements for tenant notification and relocation assistance.

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Santa Monica's soft story building inventory is concentrated in several neighborhoods:

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Santa Monica is not alone in mandating soft story retrofits. Several California cities have adopted similar ordinances:

| City | Ordinance | Buildings Affected | Status | |------|-----------|-------------------|--------| | Santa Monica | SMMC 8.80 | ~2,000 | Active enforcement | | Los Angeles | Ordinance 183893 | ~13,500 | Active enforcement | | San Francisco | Chapter 34B | ~6,000 | Largely complete | | West Hollywood | Ordinance 17-1021 | ~800 | Active enforcement | | Beverly Hills | Municipal Code updates | ~300 | Active enforcement | | Pasadena | Ordinance 7328 | ~300 | Active enforcement | | Santa Ana | In development | TBD | Planning phase |

Santa Monica's ordinance is among the most strictly enforced in California. The city's proactive approach includes building-by-building tracking, regular compliance notices, and escalating enforcement. Property owners who have not begun the retrofit process face immediate and increasing penalties.

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**Deep Santa Monica Experience.** AAA Engineering Design has completed numerous soft story retrofit projects in Santa Monica and surrounding Westside communities. We understand the city's Building & Safety review process, plan check expectations, and inspection requirements.

**Licensed California PE Engineers.** Our structural engineers hold active California Professional Engineer licenses with specialized expertise in seismic retrofit design per the 2022 CBC and ASCE 7-22.

**500+ Completed Projects.** Over 20+ years, our firm has delivered structural engineering services for residential and commercial buildings across Southern California.

**Efficient Steel Frame Design.** We optimize moment frame designs to minimize the number of frames, reduce foundation costs, and preserve maximum parking access — the three factors that most affect soft story retrofit construction budgets in Santa Monica.

**Full-Service Coordination.** We coordinate with geotechnical engineers, steel fabricators, general contractors, and special inspection firms to deliver a seamless retrofit project from assessment through final inspection.

**Transparent Pricing.** Fixed-fee proposals with no hourly billing surprises. Our quotes detail every deliverable and milestone.

Read more about our seismic retrofitting services or explore the Structural Engineering Services Guide for comprehensive information.

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Santa Monica's soft story retrofit program operates on a phased compliance timeline established by SMMC Chapter 8.80. Property owners received notification letters from Santa Monica Building & Safety with specific compliance deadlines based on their building's priority classification. Buildings identified as highest priority (3+ stories, largest unit counts) had the earliest deadlines. Property owners who have not received a notification should contact Santa Monica Building & Safety at (310) 458-8355 to confirm their building's status.

Total soft story retrofit costs in Santa Monica range from $50,000 for small 4-6 unit buildings to $200,000+ for larger 20+ unit buildings. Engineering costs represent $5,000-$15,000 of this total. Construction costs account for the majority, driven by steel fabrication, foundation work, and special inspections. Per-unit costs typically range from $5,000-$15,000 per residential unit.

Santa Monica's Rent Control Board allows property owners to apply for a rent increase to recover capital improvement costs, including seismic retrofit expenses. The increase is typically amortized over 7-10 years. Property owners must apply to the Rent Control Board and receive approval before implementing any rent increase. Consult with a Santa Monica real estate attorney for current regulations and procedures.

Non-compliance triggers escalating penalties starting at $500-$1,000 and increasing to $25,000+ for extended non-compliance. Additionally, Santa Monica may require tenant notification of non-compliance, authorize rent withholding, and in extreme cases, impose occupancy restrictions. The retrofit requirement does not go away — penalties accumulate on top of the eventual compliance cost.

Yes. Santa Monica requires that soft story retrofit plans be prepared by a California-licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Structural Engineer (SE). The plans must include structural calculations demonstrating compliance with ASCE 41 (seismic evaluation and retrofit standards) or the prescriptive provisions of IEBC Appendix A, structural construction drawings, and foundation design details. A licensed structural engineer stamps and signs all documents submitted for plan check.

The complete process from initial assessment to final inspection typically takes 6-12 months in Santa Monica: 1-2 weeks for structural assessment, 3-6 weeks for engineering design, 4-8 weeks for plan check (including corrections), 2-4 weeks for permit issuance and contractor mobilization, and 8-16 weeks for construction. Engaging a structural engineer early and maintaining momentum through each phase minimizes the total timeline.

You are able to sell a property that has not completed the soft story retrofit, but the retrofit obligation transfers to the new owner. Buyers and their lenders will be aware of the outstanding compliance requirement, which typically reduces the property's market value by the estimated retrofit cost (or more, due to uncertainty). Title companies in Santa Monica routinely disclose soft story retrofit obligations during escrow.

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Every day of non-compliance increases your penalty exposure and leaves your building — and your tenants — vulnerable to seismic damage. AAA Engineering Design provides fast, competitively priced soft story retrofit engineering for Santa Monica property owners.

**Call (949) 981-4448** for a free initial consultation, or visit our contact page to submit your building information. We respond to all Santa Monica inquiries within 24 hours.

**AAA Engineering Design** — Licensed structural engineers serving Santa Monica and Southern California for 20+ years.