San Francisco

Hundreds of San Francisco buildings are behind on earthquake retrofits, putting lives at risk

For years, cities across California have been working on retrofitting earthquake-prone buildings. But NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit found hundreds of properties in San Francisco are years behind on the work.

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Living in the Bay Area comes with a constant reminder of the seismic fault lines that crisscross the region, as minor earthquakes occur regularly. These tremors serve as stark reminders of the potential destruction we face. For years, cities across California have been diligently working on retrofitting earthquake-prone buildings to enhance their structural resilience. However, our Investigative Unit found that hundreds of properties in San Francisco are still lagging in these critical retrofits, putting lives and properties at risk.

The retrofit program and current status

"There are close to 5000 of these buildings in the city. It's about 114,000 people that live in the buildings," reveals Brian Strong, Chief Resilience Officer of the City of San Francisco. San Francisco implemented a mandatory seismic retrofit program in 2013, targeting wood-framed multifamily soft-story buildings with at least five units and three stories. By the city's count, 91 percent of the 4,941 soft-story buildings have been retrofitted, but a concerning 9%, or 438 buildings remain in violation, indicating a significant number of properties are yet to be made earthquake-resistant. The deadline for all retrofits was September 2021.

Our team surprisingly discovered some of the non-compliant buildings are used as motels or house popular restaurants on the ground floor. Non-compliant properties have been issued a Notice of Violation with an "Earthquake Warning" sign to be displayed in front of their buildings, but only one building we visited had it on display during our first visit.

The vulnerability of soft-story buildings

"One was cheaper because it was an open building, and we didn't have to redo the foundation," says Devon Johnson, a building owner who underwent the retrofitting process. During a serious earthquake, soft-story buildings, characterized by weak support on the bottom floor, are prone to collapse, endangering occupants and causing extensive damage. Tragically, during the devastating 6.9 magnitude Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, nearly half of the homes destroyed were soft-story buildings.

Challenges and costs

"You need to identify engineers to help you do the work. You have to find contractors to do it. You have to submit a permit," explains Brian Strong. Retrofitting these buildings is a complex process that requires considerable time and financial investment. Devon Johnson, who spent $150,000 and $400,000 on retrofitting two properties, acknowledges the costs involved. Some owners have opted to construct additional dwelling units (ADUs) to help offset the retrofitting expenses. "It's not cheap. And some of them may have bought their buildings a long time ago for a much lower price and they really don't have the capital to go and do the work," explains Johnson.

Importance of Retrofitting "It's like insurance…you don't actually use it every day. When this seismic event happens…you see how the retrofitting would help you to alleviate the cost, the costs of actually rebuilding or renovation," highlights Shayan Mir, COO of SFT Construction, a company that has retrofitted over 500 buildings in San Francisco and Oakland.

The City’s Department of Building Inspection has taken steps to address the non-compliant properties, issuing at least one order of abatement and referring cases for further review.

Are we ready for the big one? For years, cities across California have been working on retrofitting earthquake-prone buildings. But NBC Bay Area’s Investigative Unit found hundreds of properties in San Francisco are years behind on the work. Hilda Gutierrez reports.
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