Beverly Hills Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit
If you own an older wood-frame apartment building in Beverly Hills with tuck-under parking, a carport, or a large ground-floor opening, the City’s mandatory soft-story retrofit ordinance likely applies to your property. OC Structure Check provides the licensed structural engineering work required for compliance, screening reports, retrofit plans, and structural observation, backed by a California-licensed Structural Engineer with more than 20 years of experience across Southern California.
The Beverly Hills Ordinance at a Glance
Under Ordinance 18-O-2767, the City of Beverly Hills requires owners of qualifying wood-frame multi-family buildings to evaluate their structures for Soft, Weak, or Open-Front (SWOF) wall conditions and strengthen them where needed. These are the buildings whose ground floors historically collapsed in major earthquakes, the ones with open parking, garages, or other wide openings that leave the lowest level without adequate lateral resistance.
Every affected owner must submit a Screening Form prepared by a licensed engineer, and if the building isn’t exempt, complete engineered retrofit plans and construction within the City’s published deadlines.
Does Your Building Qualify?
A property is subject to the ordinance if all of the following apply:
- Wood-frame construction
- Two or more stories
- Built before January 1, 1978
- Has ground-floor parking, garages, or open-front wall lines
- Exhibits one or more Soft, Weak, or Open-Front wall conditions
Single-family homes fall outside the ordinance. Some detached accessory structures may qualify for an exemption review.
Compliance Deadlines
Beverly Hills divided affected buildings into three tiers, each with its own schedule:
Milestone | Tier I (3+ stories) | Tier II (2 stories, 6+ units) | Tier III (all other qualifying buildings) |
Submit Screening Form | Dec 30, 2019 | July 6, 2020 | Jan 4, 2021 |
Submit Retrofit Plans + Calculations | June 30, 2020 | Jan 5, 2021 | July 6, 2021 |
Obtain Retrofit Permit | June 30, 2021 | Jan 5, 2022 | July 6, 2022 |
Begin Construction | Dec 29, 2021 | July 6, 2022 | Jan 4, 2023 |
Final Inspection | June 30, 2022 | Jan 5, 2023 | July 6, 2023 |
All tier deadlines have now passed. Owners who haven’t yet complied should act quickly, continued non-compliance exposes the property to City violations and increases liability if a major seismic event occurs before the work is completed.
The Screening Form
The Screening Form is the starting point for every affected property. It has to be prepared and signed by a California-licensed Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, or Architect, and it establishes four things:
- Whether the building is subject to the ordinance
- Whether SWOF conditions exist
- Whether a full retrofit is required
- Whether a prior retrofit qualifies the building for exemption
A complete submission includes a ground-floor plan, elevations of the perimeter walls, photographs of every side of the building, identification of the SWOF conditions, and, when applicable, a proposed retrofit scope.
The Plan Review and Permit Process
When the screening determines that a retrofit is required, the project moves through a defined sequence with Beverly Hills Building & Safety:
- Prepare the engineered retrofit plans and structural calculations
- Submit the plan set to Building & Safety
- Address plan-check corrections
- Obtain the retrofit permit
- Begin construction within the required window
- Pass City inspections during the work
- Obtain final inspection approval
Exemptions
A property may qualify for exemption if it fails to meet all three core criteria (pre-1978, wood-frame, and SWOF conditions), or if it was previously retrofitted to a standard that meets or exceeds what the current ordinance requires. Exemption requests are submitted to the City’s Retrofit Division with supporting engineering documentation.
How OC Structure Check Supports Your Project
Screening Reports. Site evaluation, SWOF condition identification, a clear “retrofit required” or “exempt” determination, and documentation prepared for City submittal or exemption review. Reports are stamped and signed by a California-licensed Structural Engineer (CA #S5905).
Retrofit Plan Sets. Engineered retrofit designs meeting Beverly Hills guidelines, lateral analysis, wall strengthening, diaphragm checks, collector and drag system design, and foundation upgrades, delivered as a complete plan-check-ready drawing set.
Permit Coordination. Plan-check response letters, structural observation forms, and coordination with Beverly Hills Building & Safety through plan approval and permit issuance.
Construction Support. Structural observation during construction, RFI responses, and support through final inspection.
Why Property Owners Work With Us
- Licensed Structural Engineer. All reports stamped and signed by a California-licensed Structural Engineer (CA #S5905) and Civil Engineer (CA #C71491).
- Twenty-plus years of Southern California experience. Over 2,000 structural assessments across the region.
- Direct engineer access. You work with the engineer on the project, not a salesperson.
- Stamped reports for any legal or City purpose. Documentation that meets City submittal, lender, and legal requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every older building in Beverly Hills need a retrofit? No. Only pre-1978 multi-family wood-frame buildings with Soft, Weak, or Open-Front wall conditions are covered.
Who’s allowed to prepare the Screening Form? A California-licensed Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, or Architect.
Can my building be exempt? Possibly. The Screening Form is the evaluation that determines whether your building qualifies for exemption.
What if a retrofit was already completed at the property? If the prior work meets or exceeds current ordinance standards, the building may qualify for exemption, but the City must review the documentation.
What happens if deadlines were missed? The City can issue violations and require immediate compliance. Moving quickly on the screening and retrofit scope is the best path forward.
Do tenants need to be notified? Yes. Required postings and construction notices must be provided to occupants.
Are fee refunds available? Beverly Hills previously offered refund incentives for early completion, but those no longer apply since the original deadlines have passed.
Get Started
If your Beverly Hills property is subject to the soft-story ordinance, or you’re not sure whether it is, OC Structure Check can evaluate the building and prepare the engineering documentation needed for City compliance. Reach out to request a consultation and we’ll walk you through exactly where your property stands.
