# Soft Story Retrofit Mandates: The Complete California Compliance Guide
If you own a multi-family property in Los Angeles, Santa Monica, West Hollywood, or surrounding areas, you've likely heard the term "Soft Story Retrofit." You may have even received an **Order to Comply** from your local building department.
Soft story buildings—structures with large openings on the ground floor like parking garages or storefronts—are historically proven to be the most vulnerable structures during rapid-onset earthquakes. In the 1994 Northridge earthquake, these buildings accounted for widespread collapses and loss of life.
Today, cities across Southern California have enacted mandatory retrofit ordinances with strict deadlines. This guide covers everything you need to know to protect your investment, ensure tenant safety, and comply with local law.
Select Jurisdiction
Los Angeles
Deadline: Map-dependent (Priority I, II, III)
Orders issued 2016-2017. Compliance tiers: 2 years (submit plans), 3.5 years (permit), 7 years (complete). Most deadlines are approaching or past.
Action Required: If you have received an Order to Comply, you typically have 2 years to submit structural plans. Do not delay.
What Defines a "Soft Story" Building?
A "soft story" floor is defined technically as a story where the lateral stiffness is less than 70% of the stiffness of the story above it. In simple terms, these are wood-frame buildings where the ground floor is significantly weaker than the upper floors.
**Common Characteristics:**
- **Construction Date:** Typically built before 1978 (pre-modern seismic codes).
- **Ground Floor Openings:** Large garage doors, tuck-under parking, or large storefront windows.
- **Upper Floors:** Heavy living units stacked on top of these weak openings.
- **Perimeter Walls:** Lack of shear walls to resist side-to-side shaking.
The Mandates: Cities & Deadlines
Compliance is not optional in many jurisdictions. Ignoring an Order to Comply can result in severe fines, liens on the property, and huge liability in the event of an earthquake.
Los Angeles (Ordinance 183893 / 184081)
- **Scope:** Wood-frame buildings with soft, weak, or open-front walls permitted before 1978.
- **Deadlines:** Most tiers have already passed their initial "submit plans" deadline.
- **Priority I:** passed.
- **Priority II:** passed.
- **Priority III:** passed.
- **Status:** If you have not submitted plans, you are likely non-compliant. Immediate engineering intervention is required to avoid penalties.
Santa Monica
- **Deadline:** Most soft-story buildings must complete construction by **2026**.
- **Requirement:** Deficiencies must be corrected to roughly 75% of the current building code standard.
West Hollywood
- **Priority 1 (16+ units):** Strengthening required by **April 2024**.
- **Priority 2 (<16 units):** Complete construction by **April 2026**.
The Engineering Solution: How We Fix It
Retrofitting doesn't mean rebuilding. The goal is to strengthen the weak ground floor to prevent collapse without losing valuable parking spaces.
1. Steel Moment Frames
- **What it is:** A U-shaped steel frame inserted around the garage opening.
- **Pros:** Preserves parking width; extremely strong.
- **Cons:** Requires large concrete footings; most expensive option.
2. Cantilevered Columns
- **What it is:** Steel columns fixed at the base that stick up like fence posts to support the building.
- **Pros:** Good for tight spaces where a full frame won't fit.
- **Cons:** Requires massive footings to prevent tipping.
3. Shear Walls (Plywood or Steel)
- **What it is:** Strengthening existing walls with structural plywood or inserting pre-fabricated steel panels.
- **Pros:** Cheapest option.
- **Cons:** Often blocks access or reduces parking width; not possible for full tuck-under parking.
Cost of Soft Story Retrofit
Costs vary significantly based on the building size and the chosen engineering solution.
**Typical Cost Breakdown (Greater Los Angeles):**
- **Engineering & Permitting:** $8,000 - $15,000
- **Construction (Small 3-4 Unit):** $40,000 - $80,000
- **Construction (Large 10+ Unit):** $80,000 - $200,000+
**Return on Investment:**
- **Liability Reduction:** Prevents catastrophic loss.
- **Tenant Retention:** "Earthquake Safe" buildings command higher rents.
- **Cost Recovery:** LA's Seismic Retrofit Cost Recovery Program allows owners to pass up to 50% of retrofit costs to tenants (capped at $38/month).
The Retrofit Process: Step-by-Step
Step 1: Screening & Assessment We review your Order to Comply and inspect the property. Sometimes, we can prove a building is *not* a soft story and simply close the case with the city.
Step 2: Engineering Design Our licensed engineers calculate the required strength and design the steel frames or shear walls. We optimize for **constructability**—ensuring the plans are easy for contractors to build, which lowers your bids.
Step 3: Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) In Los Angeles, you must file a THP to notify tenants of the work. We can guide you through this administrative hurdle.
Step 4: Plan Check & Permitting We submit plans to LADBS or your local city. We handle all corrections and obtain the permit ready for your contractor.
Step 5: Construction Your contractor installs the retrofit. We perform "Structural Observation" site visits to verify the steel is installed correctly.
Step 6: Cost Recovery & Compliance Once final inspection is signed off, you receive your Certificate of Compliance. You can then apply for cost pass-through programs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I do a soft story retrofit while tenants are living there? **Yes.** In almost all cases, tenants do not need to move out. Work is confined to the parking/ground level. There will be noise and temporary parking loss, but units remain habitable.
What happens if I ignore the Order to Comply? The city can file a substandard order against the property title (making it impossible to sell or refinance), impose fines, and eventually pursue legal action.
Do I need a soil report? For most steel moment frame solutions, the city will require a soils report (Geotechnical Investigation) to verify the earth can support the new heavy foundations.
Why choose AAA Engineering Design? We specialize in **Value Engineering**. We don't just stamp generic plans; we design specifically to minimize steel weight and concrete volume, saving you money on the actual construction phase.
Get Started Today
If you have received an Order to Comply, or if you simply want to protect your soft-story asset, time is critical. Engineering and permitting can take 3-6 months before construction can even begin.
Contact AAA Engineering Design today for a free evaluation of your soft story property.