If you own a soft-story building in Los Angeles, the clock is ticking. The April 2026 deadline for Priority 2 buildings under LA Ordinance 183893 is now less than a year away, and property owners who have not yet begun the retrofit process face serious financial and legal consequences. This guide breaks down everything you need to know — from understanding whether your building qualifies to navigating the permit process, estimating costs, and finding financial assistance.

What Is a Soft-Story Building?

A soft-story building is a multi-story structure with a ground floor that is significantly weaker or more flexible than the floors above it. The most common examples are apartment buildings built before 1978 with ground-level parking garages, carports, or commercial storefronts that create large openings in the walls. These openings reduce the lateral strength of the ground floor, making the entire building vulnerable to collapse during an earthquake.

The defining characteristics of a soft-story building typically include:

• Wood-frame construction built before January 1, 1978
• Two or more stories above grade
• Ground-floor openings for parking, garages, or commercial use that weaken the structural envelope
• Five or more residential units (for buildings affected by the LA ordinance)

The 1994 Northridge earthquake demonstrated exactly why these buildings are so dangerous. Sixteen people died in the collapse of the Northridge Meadows apartment complex — a classic soft-story building. Thousands of similar structures suffered catastrophic damage, displacing tens of thousands of residents and costing billions in repairs. The lessons from Northridge directly informed the retrofit mandates now in effect across Los Angeles.

LA Ordinance 183893: The Retrofit Mandate Explained

In 2015, the Los Angeles City Council passed Ordinance 183893, formally known as the Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Wood-Frame Buildings with Soft, Weak, or Open-Front Walls ordinance. It is the most ambitious mandatory seismic retrofit program in the United States, covering an estimated 13,500 soft-story buildings across the city.

The ordinance established a phased compliance timeline based on building priority classifications:

Priority 1 Buildings (Deadline: April 2024 — Now Passed)

Priority 1 buildings are those with three or more stories and ground-floor commercial occupancy. These were considered the highest risk because they combine structural vulnerability with high foot traffic. The compliance deadline for Priority 1 buildings was April 2024, and most have either completed their retrofits or are deep into the enforcement process.

Priority 2 Buildings (Deadline: April 2026)

Priority 2 buildings are all remaining soft-story buildings covered by the ordinance — typically two-story or three-story residential buildings with ground-floor parking or tuck-under garages. The compliance deadline is April 2026, giving property owners just months to act if they have not already started.

The ordinance requires property owners to submit retrofit plans, obtain building permits, complete construction, and pass final inspection by the deadline. Simply filing an application is not enough — the City expects substantial progress toward completion.

Consequences of Ignoring the Order to Comply

Property owners who fail to meet the April 2026 deadline face a cascade of increasingly severe consequences. The City of Los Angeles has made clear that enforcement will be aggressive, and the penalties are designed to make non-compliance far more expensive than completing the retrofit.

• Daily fines and penalties: The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (LADBS) can impose fines for each day a building remains non-compliant after the deadline. These fines can accumulate rapidly, reaching tens of thousands of dollars.
• Property liens: Unpaid fines and compliance costs can result in liens placed against the property, affecting its title, marketability, and financing options.
• Criminal prosecution: In extreme cases of non-compliance, property owners can face misdemeanor charges, which carry additional fines and potential jail time.
• Earthquake liability exposure: If an un-retrofitted building suffers damage or collapse in an earthquake, the property owner faces enormous civil liability — especially if tenants or occupants are injured or killed. Courts have increasingly held that owners who ignore known retrofit mandates bear heightened responsibility.
• Insurance complications: Many insurers are tightening their requirements for seismic coverage on soft-story buildings. Non-compliant buildings may face policy cancellations, premium increases, or outright denial of coverage.
• Tenant notification requirements: Under California law, landlords must disclose known earthquake hazards to tenants. A building flagged as non-compliant under the ordinance creates a documented hazard that must be disclosed, potentially affecting rental income and occupancy.

The bottom line: ignoring the retrofit mandate does not make it go away. It only increases the financial and legal exposure for property owners.

The Soft-Story Retrofit Process: Step by Step

Understanding the retrofit process helps property owners plan effectively and avoid costly delays. Here is what to expect at each stage:

Step 1: Engineering Assessment

The first step is hiring a licensed structural engineer to evaluate your building. The engineer will assess the existing structure, identify the specific vulnerabilities, and design a retrofit solution that meets current building code requirements. This assessment typically takes 2 to 4 weeks and costs between $5,000 and $15,000 depending on building size and complexity.

Step 2: Retrofit Design and Plan Preparation

Based on the engineering assessment, the structural engineer will prepare detailed construction plans and calculations. These plans must comply with LADBS standards and the specific requirements of the soft-story retrofit ordinance. Plan preparation typically takes 4 to 8 weeks.

Step 3: Permit Application and Plan Check

The completed plans are submitted to LADBS for permit review and approval. The plan check process for soft-story retrofits has been streamlined, but still typically takes 4 to 8 weeks. You can track your permit timeline to monitor progress through the review stages. Property owners should be prepared for plan check corrections, which can add additional weeks to the timeline.

Step 4: Construction

Once the permit is issued, a licensed general contractor performs the retrofit work. The most common retrofit approach involves installing steel moment frames or plywood shear walls at the ground-floor level to strengthen the weak story. Construction for a typical soft-story retrofit takes 4 to 12 weeks depending on the building size and the scope of work. Most retrofits can be completed while the building remains occupied, though tenants may experience temporary disruptions.

Step 5: Inspections and Final Sign-Off

During and after construction, LADBS inspectors will verify that the work matches the approved plans. You can check your inspection status online to stay on top of scheduled and completed inspections. Once the final inspection is approved, LADBS issues a Certificate of Completion, and the building is marked as compliant in city records.

Total Timeline

From start to finish, the entire retrofit process typically takes 6 to 12 months. Property owners who have not yet started should understand that waiting until the last minute creates serious risk of missing the deadline — especially given current demand for structural engineers and contractors experienced in seismic retrofits.

Cost Estimates for Soft-Story Retrofits

Retrofit costs vary significantly based on building size, structural complexity, and local market conditions. Here are general cost ranges that property owners can expect:

• Small buildings (5-10 units, 2 stories): $60,000 to $130,000 total, including engineering, permits, and construction
• Medium buildings (10-20 units, 2-3 stories): $100,000 to $250,000 total
• Large buildings (20+ units, 3+ stories): $200,000 to $500,000 or more

On a per-unit basis, most soft-story retrofits cost between $10,000 and $25,000 per apartment unit. While this is a significant investment, it pales in comparison to the cost of earthquake damage to an un-retrofitted building, which can easily reach into the millions — not including liability claims from injured tenants.

Property owners should also factor in soft costs such as tenant relocation expenses (if required), permit fees, and potential rent adjustments during construction. Under the LA ordinance, landlords are permitted to pass through a portion of the retrofit cost to tenants through a monthly rent surcharge, subject to specific caps and conditions set by the LA Housing Department.

Earthquake Retrofit Grants and Financing Options

Several programs exist to help property owners finance soft-story retrofits:

BRACE+BOLT and EBB Programs

The California Earthquake Authority’s Earthquake Brace + Bolt (EBB) program provides grants of up to $3,000 for qualifying seismic retrofits. While primarily designed for single-family homes, it demonstrates the state’s commitment to incentivizing seismic safety upgrades.

PACE Financing (Property Assessed Clean Energy)

PACE financing programs allow property owners to finance seismic retrofits through a voluntary assessment on their property tax bill. This approach offers several advantages: no money down, long repayment terms (up to 20 or 25 years), and the assessment stays with the property if it is sold. Several PACE providers operate in Los Angeles, including HERO and Ygrene.

SBA Disaster Loans

The Small Business Administration (SBA) offers low-interest disaster loans that can be used for seismic retrofits in some circumstances. These loans offer favorable terms and can cover a significant portion of retrofit costs.

Commercial Lending

Many banks and credit unions now offer specialized retrofit loan products for multi-family property owners. These loans often feature competitive interest rates because lenders recognize that a retrofitted building represents a better-secured asset. Some lenders will factor the increased property value and reduced insurance costs into their underwriting.

Tax Benefits

Seismic retrofit costs are generally deductible as a capital improvement for tax purposes. Property owners should consult with their tax advisors to understand the full range of deductions and depreciation benefits available for retrofit investments.

Other Cities Adopting Soft-Story Retrofit Mandates

Los Angeles is not alone in requiring soft-story retrofits. A growing number of California cities have adopted similar mandatory retrofit programs, reflecting a statewide recognition that seismic preparedness cannot remain voluntary:

• Santa Monica: One of the first cities to adopt a mandatory soft-story retrofit ordinance, with compliance deadlines that have largely passed. Santa Monica’s program has been widely cited as a model for other jurisdictions.
• Burbank: Adopted a mandatory soft-story retrofit ordinance modeled closely on the LA program, with its own phased compliance timeline.
• Pasadena: Implemented a mandatory seismic retrofit program covering soft-story buildings, with enforcement mechanisms similar to those in Los Angeles.
• West Hollywood: Requires soft-story retrofits for qualifying buildings, with compliance deadlines and enforcement provisions.
• Beverly Hills: Has adopted seismic retrofit requirements for soft-story and other vulnerable building types.

Property owners with buildings in multiple jurisdictions should verify the specific requirements and deadlines for each city. You can use our property information lookup tool to research jurisdiction-specific details for any property in Los Angeles County.

Why Acting Now Is Critical

With the April 2026 deadline approaching, the window for completing a soft-story retrofit without penalty is closing rapidly. Here is why starting today matters:

• Engineer and contractor availability: As the deadline approaches, demand for qualified structural engineers and retrofit contractors is surging. Waiting means longer lead times and potentially higher costs.
• Permit processing times: LADBS plan check timelines can fluctuate based on submission volume. A surge of last-minute applications could extend processing times significantly.
• Construction delays: Material supply issues, weather, and unforeseen structural conditions can all extend construction timelines. Building in a buffer is essential.
• The next earthquake does not wait for deadlines: Southern California sits on some of the most active fault lines in the world. The seismic risk is real and ever-present. Every day a vulnerable building remains un-retrofitted is a day its occupants are at risk.

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