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What Is Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit?

On Tuesday, December 10th, 2024, Burbank City Council unanimously voted to adopt a Mandatory Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit Ordinance. This is a significant achievement that demonstrates the City of Burbank's commitment to enhancing public safety and ensuring the resilience of our community in the face of seismic risk.

Some buildings have a weak, open first floor — like parking underneath apartments or large storefront windows at street level. These are called soft-story buildings.

During an earthquake, the heavy floors above can shift sideways while the open ground floor can’t hold up. This can cause the building to tilt or collapse at the first level.

A soft-story seismic retrofit is a construction upgrade that strengthens the ground floor so the building can better handle earthquake movement. This is usually done by adding steel frames, reinforced walls, or stronger connections to the foundation.
 

Why It Matters

These upgrades help:

  • Protect lives
  • Reduce building damage
  • Keep people in their homes after earthquakes
     

Burbank’s Action

On Tuesday, December 10th, 2024, Burbank City Council unanimously voted to adopt a Mandatory Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit Ordinance. This shows the City’s commitment to public safety and long-term community resilience.

The Ordinance went into effect January 10th, 2025.

Buildings considered vulnerable:

  • Wood-framed buildings with 2 or more stories
  • Built under codes before January 1, 1978
  • Have a weaker, open first floor (such as garages or tuck-under parking)