1 Soft Story Retrofit
Ordinance
City Council
Building and Safety Division
Community Development Department
December 2, 2024
2 Soft Story Retrofit - City Council Priority
• City performed an extensive soft story survey in
2007
o Compiled a detailed inventory of 368 potentially
hazardous soft-story buildings with over 4,000 units
o Primarily residential units but a few commercial too
• City Council allocated Federal American Rescue
Plan Act (ARPA) funds to develop a soft story
retrofit program in 2021
3 What is a “soft story” building?
• Refers to multi-story wood frame buildings with a
weak, flexible or otherwise vulnerable first story
• Identified by large openings on the ground floor
walls, typically due to garage doors, open
parking stalls or large storefront windows
4 What are the potential consequences of
soft story collapse?
• Injuries and fatalities
• Loss of housing
• Economic repercussions
• Property damage
o Damaged buildings
o Crushed vehicles
o Utilities (gas, electric, water, sewer)
5 Public Outreach
• Rules Committee meetings held in January 2023 &
July 2024
o In July 2024, Rules directed staff to prepare Ordinance for Council review
• Community meetings were held in Summer 2024
o Zoom (June 25) & in person (June 27)
• Mailing list established with all 368 impacted
property owners, along with other housing owner
associations such as:
o East Bay Rental Housing Association, Rental Housing
Associations of Southern Alameda County, East Bay
Association of Realtors)
6 Summary of Proposed Ordinance
San Leandro Soft Story Ordinance
(mandatory screening- incentivized retrofit)
APPLIES TO
• All wood framed residential buildings 5 or more units. • Permitted before January 1,1985
• On the existing City soft story inventory list
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
• Engineering screening/seismic structural analysis
• Installation of earthquake actuated gas shut off valve (within 60 days of notice) • Notification to all building tenants
• Posting warnings in building
TIMEFRAME • Up to 18 months compliance period for mandatory screening FEES • Building will establish a new engineering report review fee in annual City Master Fee Schedule approved by City Council
Staff researched Hayward, Oakland & Alameda. San Leandro Ordinance based on Alameda’s due to similar size and over 60% retrofit success rate. 7 Summary of Proposed Ordinance
San Leandro Soft Story Ordinance
(mandatory screening- incentivized retrofit)
INCENTIVES TO RETROFIT
• After completing mandatory engineering screening, includes financial relief for building permit/inspection fees: 1) 100% waived for reports submitted within 6 months of official notice on the City inventory list, 2) 50% reduction within 12 months & 3) 25% reduction within 18 months
APPEAL PROCESS
• 60 days to challenge determination of soft-story status to Building Official • Appeals of Building Official final decision to Board of Appeal • Board of Appeal exists under Municipal Code for building permit concerns. • Board consists of 3 City Manager appointed management staff from various City departments including staff with expertise in civil engineering/building. 8 Next Steps
• Staff recommends approval of first reading of
Ordinance
o Proposed 2nd reading at December 16 City Council
• Staff outreach/implementation from January-May
2025:
o Prepare public information for affected property owners & post on City website
o Courtesy notice on new ordinance, public info & warning of forthcoming formal notice
o Issuance of formal notice that property is on the City inventory