The City of Los Angeles commissioned various reports in 2014
and 2015, under City Ordinances 183893 and 184081, that addressed measures to
improve home safety in case of earthquakes.
The goal was to establish mandatory standards for earthquake hazard
reduction in existing wood-frame buildings with open garages. This was a direct result of the seismic
damage and loss of life seen in Los Angeles during the 1994 Northridge quake,
caused by certain types of buildings collapsing. During the quake the bottom floor of the
Northridge Meadows apartment complex collapsed beneath the two floors above
it. Sixteen residents, all on the first
floor, died as a result. The Northridge
Meadows was referred to as a “soft-story” building.
Many deaths could have been avoided if the structure were
more resilient. Soft story, wood-framed
buildings are dwellings, mainly apartments that are situation on a second-story
level, mounted on steel columns with parking underneath at ground level,
sometimes called “tuck-under parking”.
With limited walls on the ground level and wide garage openings, these
columns aren’t sturdy enough to hold up the building during an earthquake.
The City’s program does not apply to residential
buildings with 3 or less units, and 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 another similar open floor space
In Marina del Rey, an estimated 1,291 condominiums and 29
apartment complexes may be affected by the new measures. Many Marina del Rey homeowners received a
notification from the City of Los Angeles, Department of Building and Safety,
within the last year indicating that their townhomes may need to meet the
criteria for mandatory compliance with seismic retrofit.
The
City has established a timetable for the structural analysis and plans that
show:
·
The existing buildings already meet the required ordinance
·
Proposed alterations of the buildings will enable them to
meet the requirements or
·
Plans to demolish the buildings
Within two years, residents must obtain all the necessary permits
for rehabilitation. Within 7 years,
construction must be completed.
Currently, many of the HOA’s are working on the
issue. The City has not formally
informed residents that they MUST retrofit yet, and the collection of Marina
villas has formed committees to pursue a resolution. They are coordinating with architects,
engineers and contractors on a collective basis.
Some
of the townhomes affected include those in Villa Cavalaire, Villa San Remo,
Villa San Michele, Villa Beaulieu, Villa Imperia, Villa Rapallo, Villa Sestri,
Villa Portofino, Villa Spezia, Villa San Cipriano, Villa LeTrayas, Villa Napoli
and Villa Villetri.
Contact your HOA for more information and how this
may affect you.