LAMC §91.9504 mandates seismic retrofit of soft-story wood-frame multifamily buildings with tuck-under parking, while §91.9505 sets standards for cripple-wall and shear-wall reinforcement of older wood-frame structures across Los Angeles.
Ordinance 183893 created LAMC Division 93 to retrofit pre-1978 wood-frame multifamily buildings of two or more stories with soft, weak, or open-front walls over parking. Owners had two years to submit plans and seven years to complete construction once served an Order to Comply, generally finishing in 2023 to 2024. Standard solutions include steel moment frames, plywood shear walls, and foundation anchors per the Plan Sets approved by LADBS. Single-family wood-frame homes are not mandated but qualify for Earthquake Brace + Bolt grants up to $3,000 to install foundation bolts and cripple-wall plywood under §91.9505.
Failure to file plans, complete construction within seven years, or maintain anchor inspections leads to LADBS substandard orders, recordation against title, $1,000+ fines, and tenant relocation requirements.
Los Angeles, CA
LAMC §91.9509 (Ordinance 183893) requires identification and retrofit of pre-1976 non-ductile reinforced concrete buildings citywide, with a 25-year complian...
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles requires foundation bolting and cripple wall bracing for older wood-frame homes under Division 88 of the LA Building Code. Houses built before 19...
See how Los Angeles's wood-frame retrofit rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.