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Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit – City of Torrance

Overview

The City of Torrance adopted Seismic Retrofit Ordinance No. 3916 (approved March 14, 2023), initiating a mandatory program to strengthen older, potentially vulnerable buildings. The ordinance addresses multiple at-risk building types, including wood soft-story structures.

These buildings were constructed under older design standards and present a higher risk of severe damage or collapse during large earthquakes. The City is currently preparing the implementation phase. Compliance notices and deadlines have not yet been issued.

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Program Status

  • Ordinance adopted
  • Applicability determined
  • Implementation & Notice to Owners: Pending
  • Compliance deadlines: Not released yet
OC Structural  will update the deadlines as soon as the City publishes official schedules.
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What Types of Buildings Are Affected?

Existing Wood-Frame Soft, Weak, or Open-Front Wall Buildings

  • Multi-story wood buildings where the ground floor is significantly more flexible than upper floors
  • Typically caused by:
    • Large open parking areas
    • Lack of shear walls
    • Open-front commercial bays
  • Common in pre-1980s construction
  • Highly vulnerable to collapse during strong shaking
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City of Torrance – Program Milestones

The City has NOT yet released compliance deadlines or Notice-to-Owner mailings. Only the ordinance is finalized. All milestones will be updated once the City activates the program.

As of now:

  • No screening forms are required
  • No engineering analysis deadlines
  • No retrofit submission deadlines
  • No construction deadlines
We will update this page as soon as official notices are made public
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What Socalstructural Engineering Provides in Torrance

  • Structural evaluation
  • Identification of soft/weak/open-front lines
  • Determination of retrofit needs
  • Pre-Notice voluntary screening
  • Lateral analysis & calculations
  • Soft-story strengthening design
  • Foundation/collector/diaphragm upgrades
  • Cantilever column systems
  • Full construction details
Once the City activates the permit workflow:
  • Plan check responses
  • Structural observation
  • Final inspection coordination
  • Notice templates
  • Construction scheduling coordination

Learn More About the Torrance Retrofit Program

Torrance is located in a high-seismic region near major faults. Older buildings constructed under outdated codes pose life-safety risks. City engineers have identified hundreds of potentially vulnerable buildings, making a retrofit ordinance necessary to reduce collapse risk.

Soft-story wood buildings often fail at the ground level due to:

  • Open parking (tuck-under)
  • Lack of braced walls
This creates a “weak” first story that may collapse and cause life-threatening failures.
After the City issues Notice-to-Owner letters:
  • Owners will be assigned deadlines to submit engineering evaluations or plans.
  • Buildings confirmed as vulnerable will require full seismic retrofit plans.
  • Construction permits must be obtained and retrofit work completed by the deadlines specified in the notice.
Formal timelines are pending.
Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) Grant
  • Up to $13,000 toward soft-story retrofits for eligible homes
  • All Torrance ZIP codes qualify
  • Administered by the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP)

Frequently Asked Questions

Have compliance deadlines been issued?
Not yet. The City is still preparing implementation. No deadlines are active.

If it meets any of these:

  • Wood-frame
  • Multiple stories
  • Open parking or commercial space at ground level
  • Built prior to modern seismic codes

…then it is likely included under Ordinance No. 3916.

Yes. Retrofits only become mandatory after the City issues formal Notice-to-Owner letters.

Pending City implementation. Torrance has not yet published rules on pass-throughs or cost-sharing.

Owners may voluntarily begin:

  • Engineering evaluations
  • Preliminary structural assessments
  • Soft-story retrofit design concepts

Socal Structural can assist with early assessments so owners are ahead of future deadlines.

Get Started

The Torrance program hasn’t activated yet, but when it does, every affected owner will be on the same clock. Getting ahead of that timeline protects your schedule, your budget, and your tenants. OC Structural  handles early-stage assessments through full retrofit design and construction support. Reach out for a free consultation and we’ll tell you exactly where your building stands.