Beverly Hills Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit Compliance
Milestones
Milestone Sequence
- Screening Form submitted
- Retrofit plans and structural calculations submitted
- Retrofit permit obtained
- Construction finished
- Final inspection passed
Tier I (3+ stories)
- Dec 30, 2019
- June 30, 2020
- June 30, 2021
- Dec 29, 2021
- June 30, 2022
Tier II (2 stories, 6+ units)
- July 6, 2020
- Jan 5, 2021
- Jan 5, 2022
- July 6, 2022
- Jan 5, 2023
Tier III
- Jan 4, 2021
- July 6, 2021
- July 6, 2022
- Jan 4, 2023
- July 6, 2023
Overview
Beverly Hills passed Ordinance 18-O-2767 to strengthen the performance of existing multi-family wood-frame buildings that have Soft, Weak, or Open-Front wall lines (SWOF).
These buildings carry a higher risk of partial or total collapse in a major earthquake, particularly where the ground level has open parking.
Under the ordinance, property owners must complete a Screening Form and, where applicable, submit engineered retrofit plans and finish construction within the compliance deadlines the City has set.
Is Your Building Subject to the Ordinance?
Your building falls under the ordinance if it has:
- Wood-frame construction
- Two or more stories
- Construction dating to before January 1, 1978
- Ground-floor parking, garages, or open-front wall lines
- One or more Soft, Weak, or Open-Front Wall conditions
Single-family homes fall outside the ordinance’s scope. Certain detached accessory units may still be eligible for an exemption review.
The Screening Form is the first document the City requires. A licensed Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, or California-licensed Architect has to prepare it.
The Screening Form establishes:
- Whether the building is wood-frame construction
- Whether SWOF wall conditions exist
- Whether a retrofit is needed
- Whether an earlier retrofit already qualifies for exemption
What you'll need to submit:
- A ground-floor plan
- Elevations showing the perimeter walls
- Photographs covering all sides of the building
- Identification of the SWOF conditions present
- A proposed retrofit scope, where applicable
Once the Screening Form shows a retrofit is required, the sequence runs like this:
- The engineer prepares the retrofit plans
- Plans go to Beverly Hills Building & Safety for review
- Any plan check corrections get addressed
- The retrofit permit is issued
- Construction starts within the required milestone window
- The City inspects the work as construction proceeds
- Final inspection approval closes out the project
A building may qualify for an exemption if:
- It fails to meet all three mandatory criteria, being pre-1978, wood-frame, and SWOF
- It's already been retrofitted to a standard that meets or beats current ordinance requirements
Exemption requests go to the City’s Retrofit Division for review.
Screening Reports
- A full evaluation of the SWOF conditions present
- A determination of "Retrofit Required" versus "Exempt"
- Documentation to support exemption requests
- Code-compliant sketches, elevations, and photos
Retrofit Plan Sets
- A complete engineered design that follows Beverly Hills guidelines
- Lateral analysis, diaphragm checks, and wall strengthening design
- Collector and drag system design
- Foundation upgrades where needed
- Detailed drawings ready for plan check submission
Permit Coordination
- Handling responses during plan check
- Preparing structural observation forms
- Coordinating with the City throughout construction
Construction Support
- Structural observation during the build
- Responding to contractor RFIs
- Assistance through final inspection
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every building have to comply?
No. The ordinance only applies to pre-1978 multi-family wood-frame buildings with SWOF conditions.
Who's qualified to complete the Screening Form?
A California-licensed Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, or Architect.
Could my building qualify for an exemption?
Possibly. The Screening Form evaluation is what determines exemption eligibility.
What if my building was already retrofitted before?
If the earlier work meets current ordinance standards, the building may qualify for exemption, but the City still has to review the documentation.
What happens if a deadline gets missed?
The City can issue violations and require immediate compliance.
Am I required to notify tenants?
Yes. The required postings and construction notices have to be provided.
Does the City offer any fee refunds?
Refund incentives were only available for construction completed ahead of schedule. Since the original deadlines have already passed, that incentive no longer applies to new projects.
Get Started
OC Structural manages Beverly Hills soft-story retrofits from start to finish, covering screening, engineering, permitting, and construction support. Contact us for a free estimate, and we’ll walk you through exactly where your building stands.