STRUCTURAL STRENGTHENING

RESPECTED APARTMENT OWNERS

As owners of buildings that house families and provide workplaces, please be advised that under the reference ordinance 1883893 and 184081 it is necessary to reduce STRUCTURAL DEFICIENCIES by the most economical and feasible method. Without proper strengthening, vulnerable buildings may be subjected to structural failure during and/or after an earthquake. The most vulnerable buildings have been identified with the following criteria:

• Consist of two or more stories of wood frame structure construction
• Built using building code standards in effect before January 1, 1978
• Contains ground floor parking or another similar open floor space

Please note this ordinance does not apply to residential apartment buildings of 4 units or less.

When you receive a letter of notification from LA

CITY OF LOS ANGELES SOFT-STORY RETROFIT PROGRAM:

A soft-story building:

Is a structure which has a weaker first floor and is unable to carry the weight of the stories above during an earthquake. The first floor generally would have large openings in the perimeter walls such as garages, tuck under parking or even large windows.

Retrofit:

Is an improvement to your building by altering or adding any structural elements.

Tuck-Under Parking:

This type of parking is parking beneath the 2nd floor.

From past earthquakes, multi-story buildings with weak and/or open front wall lines creating a “soft-story” (i.e. buildings with tuck-under-parking) performed poorly and collapsed. The goal of the mandatory retrofit program, under Ordinance 183893 and Ordinance 184081, is to reduce structural deficiencies by the most economical and feasible method. Without proper strengthening, these vulnerable buildings may be subjected to structural failure during and/or after an earthquake.

Buildings that are most vulnerable have been identified with the following criteria:

• Consist of 2 or more stories wood frame construction
• Built under building code standards enacted before January 1, 1978
• Contains ground floor parking or other similar open floor space

The program does not apply to residential buildings with 3 or less units.

Each property owner of these buildings will be sent an order to comply. These orders will be sent accordingly based on the following

The property owner must comply with the ordinance within the following time limits:

From the receipt of the Order to Comply:

• 2 years: Submit proof of previous retrofit, or plans to retrofit or demolish
• 3.5 years:Obtain permit to start construction or demolition
• 7 years:Complete construction

County, consider using us to bring your building into compliance.  AWIN ENTERPRISES is licensed and qualified to rectify the mandated deficiencies to code.