Many local residents have heard about City Council’s passing of the soft-story retrofit ordinance that was approved back in May of this year. As a local real estate agent, I wanted to take the opportunity to provide a bit more information and background about the changes homeowners could face.
First off, it’s no secret that we live in a very seismically-active area, and that is where a lot of the logic surrounding this ordinance was born. It requires seismic retrofits to potentially vulnerable buildings, including those classified as “soft-story.” These structures are wood-framed buildings with more than one story that generally possess first floor windows, garage doors, and open-air spaces like those used for parking with little to no solid walls.
The City of Pasadena viewed these soft-story dwellings as a public safety issue, especially in light of the damage caused to these kinds of structures by the 1989 La Prieta and the 1994 Northridge earthquakes. But opponents of the ordinance pointed to the significant cost associated with these kinds of retrofits, which could range $5,000 to $15,000 per unit and $40,000 to $160,000 per building depending on the age, number of stories, and so on.
In an effort to help homeowners control these unanticipated costs, the City of Pasadena has agreed to include provisions that would exempt buildings with four or fewer units. The timeline was also amended from the original five to seven years, giving homeowners more time to comply. The ordinance applies to structures built under building code standards that were enacted prior to January 1, 1978. According to the report, commercial buildings, hotels and motels are not included, nor are single-story multiple-family structures.
For tenants, the ordinance is also of interest because some could be displaced while ongoing work is done to bring their homes up to code. Councilmember Margaret McAustin expressed particular concern, however, Planning Director David Reyes said that any affected tenants would be covered under the City’s tenant protection ordinance, which includes assisting with the cost of moving.
The hope is that the City of Pasadena will receive a State grant for the needed work to help cover some of the associated costs. The total scope of the project is expected to top $45 million. Currently, there are approximately 472 wood soft-story buildings in Pasadena with nearly 4,500 units.
For more information on this ordinance visit https://ww5.cityofpasadena.
I am a CA licensed real estate broker and Pasadena real estate agent who has helped countless buyers and sellers in the area. For assistance with all of your real estate needs, please contact me!
