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Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit – City of Beverly Hills
Milestones
Beverly Hills sorted affected buildings into three tiers, each with its own deadline schedule:
Milestone
- Submit Screening Form
- Submit Retrofit Plans + Structural Calculations
- Obtain Retrofit Permit
- Complete Construction &
- Final Inspection
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
The City of Beverly Hills adopted Ordinance 18-O-2767 to improve the performance of existing multi-family wood-frame buildings with Soft, Weak, or Open-Front wall lines (SWOF).
These buildings are at higher risk of partial or full collapse during a major earthquake, especially where open parking exists at the ground level.
The ordinance requires property owners to complete a Screening Form, and if applicable, submit engineered retrofit plans and complete all construction within the designated compliance deadlines.
Is Your Building Subject to the Ordinance?
A building is included if ALL of the following apply:
- Wood-frame construction
- Two or more stories
- Built before January 1, 1978
- Contains ground-floor parking, garages, or open-front wall lines
- Exhibits one or more Soft, Weak, or Open-Front Wall conditions
Single-family residences are not included. Some detached accessory units may qualify for exemption review.
The Screening Form is the first required submittal. It must be completed by a licensed Civil or Structural Engineer or a California-licensed Architect.
The Screening Form determines:
- Wood-frame construction
- Whether SWOF wall conditions are present
- Whether a retrofit is required
- Whether any prior retrofit qualifies for exemption
Submission requirements include:
- Ground-floor plan
- Elevations of perimeter walls
- Photographs of all sides
- Identification of SWOF conditions
- Proposed retrofit scope (if applicable)
If the Screening Form determines that a retrofit is required, the next steps include:
- Prepare Retrofit Plans
- Submit Plans to Beverly Hills Building & Safety
- Respond to Plan Check Corrections
- Obtain Retrofit Permit
- Begin Construction within the required milestone timeline
- Pass City Inspections during construction
- Obtain Final Inspection Approval
Buildings may be considered for exemption if:
- They do not meet all three mandatory criteria (pre-1978, wood-frame, SWOF)
- They have been previously retrofitted to a standard that meets or exceeds current ordinance requirements
Exemption requests must be submitted to the City’s Retrofit Division for review.
Screening Reports
- Full evaluation of SWOF conditions
- Determination of “Retrofit Required” or “Exempt”
- Documentation for exemption requests
- Code-compliant sketches, elevations & photos
Retrofit Plan Sets
- Complete engineered design per Beverly Hills guidelines
- Lateral analysis, diaphragm checks, wall strengthening
- Collector/drag system design
- Foundation upgrades
- Detailed drawings ready for plan check
Permit Coordination
- Plan check responses
- Structural observation forms
- City coordination throughout construction
Construction Support
- Structural observation
- RFI responses
- Final inspection assistance
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all buildings need to comply?
No. Only pre-1978 multi-family wood-frame buildings with SWOF conditions.
Who can complete the Screening Form?
A California-licensed Civil Engineer, Structural Engineer, or Architect.
Can my building be exempt?
Yes. The Screening Form evaluation determines exemption eligibility.
What if a previous retrofit was completed?
If prior work meets current ordinance standards, the building may be exempt but documentation must be reviewed by the City.
What happens if deadlines are missed?
The City may issue violations and require immediate compliance.
Do tenants need to be notified?
Yes. Required postings and construction notices must be provided.
Does Beverly Hills offer fee refunds?
Refund incentives exist only if construction was completed early but since original deadlines have passed, this no longer applies for new projects
Get Started
SoCal Structural handles Beverly Hills soft-story retrofits end-to-end, screening, engineering, permitting, and construction support. Reach out for a free estimate and we’ll walk you through exactly where your building stands.