LA County has no mandatory retrofit ordinance for pre-Northridge welded steel moment-frame buildings. LACoDPW follows FEMA 351-355 evaluation guidance and accepts ASCE 41-17 voluntary upgrades through Title 26 permits, with no countywide deadline.
After the 1994 Northridge earthquake exposed brittle weld fractures in welded steel moment-frame (WSMF) connections, FEMA published the SAC Joint Venture documents (FEMA 350-355) and ASCE 41 incorporated improved acceptance criteria. LA County Building & Safety has not adopted a mandatory retrofit timeline for pre-1994 WSMF buildings in unincorporated areas, unlike Santa Monica's mandatory program. Owners pursuing voluntary evaluation use ASCE 41-17 Tier 3 analysis with FEMA 351 connection assessments. Common retrofits include cover-plate strengthening or reduced beam sections (RBS dogbones). LACoDPW reviews permits under Title 26, and the Office of Statewide Health Planning enforces hospital seismic rules separately.
No retrofit penalties exist for unincorporated WSMF buildings. Owners face premises liability exposure after seismic damage, and OSHPD-regulated hospitals follow separate SB-1953 deadlines independent of county code.
See how Santa Monica's steel moment-frame retrofit rules stack up against other locations.
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