Glendale has roughly 1,000 older wood-frame apartment buildings with open ground-floor parking, carports, or large first-floor openings, the classic “soft-story” configuration that’s been shown to fail catastrophically in major earthquakes. The City’s soft-story retrofit program requires owners of affected buildings to evaluate their properties and seismically strengthen them on a defined timeline. SoCal Structural provides complete engineering support through every phase of compliance, from the initial structural report to final permit close-out.
The Glendale Ordinance at a Glance
Under Glendale’s soft-story retrofit ordinance ([VERIFY: ordinance number]), owners of qualifying pre-1978 wood-frame residential buildings are required to evaluate their structures and, where necessary, retrofit them to reduce the risk of collapse during a major earthquake. The City has identified approximately 1,000 vulnerable buildings and is issuing Notices to affected owners.
Compliance runs on a seven-year clock from the date of your Notice, with key milestones at 2 years (structural report and plans) and 3.5 years (permits).
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 1978
- Has ground-floor parking, carports, or other large open areas on the first level
- Contains one or more Soft, Weak, or Open-Front (SWOF) wall conditions
Single-family homes fall outside the program.
Compliance Deadlines
Deadlines run from the date of your Notice:
| Milestone | Deadline |
|---|---|
| City issues Notice to affected owner | — |
| Submit structural analysis, engineering report, and retrofit or demolition plans | Within 2 years of Notice |
| Obtain all necessary permits and begin construction | Within 3.5 years of Notice |
| Complete construction and obtain final certificate of compliance | Within 7 years of Notice |
Missing a deadline can result in fines, recorded violations, and increased liability exposure. For deadlines tied to your specific property, refer to the official Notice you received from the City.
What a Retrofit Typically Involves
A licensed Civil or Structural Engineer evaluates the building, identifies the soft, weak, or open-front wall conditions, and designs a strengthening scheme. Depending on the building, that can include new steel moment frames around garage or carport openings, reinforced shear walls, foundation upgrades to support new lateral loads, collector and drag strut detailing to tie the system together, and diaphragm strengthening at the floor above.
Tenant Notification and Habitability Requirements
For occupied buildings, Glendale requires owners to prepare and file a Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) describing how construction will affect residents and what protections will be in place, including temporary relocation where the work makes units untenantable. Tenant notifications and required postings must also be handled on a defined schedule. We support the engineering portion of these requirements and coordinate with property management as needed.
How SoCal Structural Supports Your Project
Structural Reports. Field evaluation of the building, identification of soft, weak, or open-front wall lines, assessment of diaphragms, foundations, and the lateral load path, and an engineering determination of whether retrofit is required. We prepare the formal documentation the City needs for the 2-year milestone.
Retrofit Plan Sets. Engineered designs built around Glendale’s seismic requirements, including lateral analysis and calculations, soft/weak/open-front wall strengthening, diaphragm and collector/drag strut design, foundation upgrades, cantilever column systems where appropriate, drift checks and base-shear calculations, irregularity assessments, and complete structural details and material specifications.
Permit Coordination. Plan-check response letters, structural observation forms, and direct coordination with Glendale Building & Safety, plus engineering support for tenant-notification and THP documentation.
Construction Support. Structural observation at key construction stages, RFI responses for the contractor, and assistance through final inspection and permit close-out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does every older building in Glendale need a retrofit? No. The ordinance applies only to pre-1978 wood-frame residential buildings that are two or more stories and have ground-floor parking, carports, or other large openings, specifically those with soft, weak, or open-front wall conditions.
What’s the first step? A structural analysis and engineering report prepared by a California-licensed Civil or Structural Engineer. This determines whether the building is exempt or requires retrofit, and documents that finding for the City.
How much time do I have? Deadlines are measured from the date on your Notice: 2 years to submit the structural analysis and plans, 3.5 years to pull permits, and 7 years to complete construction.
Can my building be exempt? Possibly. An engineer may determine that the building doesn’t meet the SWOF criteria or was previously strengthened to an adequate standard. The engineering report documents the exemption for the City’s review.
Do I have to relocate my tenants during construction? Sometimes, it depends on the scope of work and whether units become temporarily untenantable. A Tenant Habitability Plan (THP) must be filed to address this, and Glendale has specific tenant protections that apply.
What happens if I miss a deadline? The City can issue violations, impose fines, and record the non-compliance against the property. It also increases liability exposure if a seismic event occurs before the work is completed.
Who’s allowed to prepare the retrofit plans? Only California-licensed Civil or Structural Engineers.
Get Started
Whether you’ve already received a Notice from the City or want to get ahead of the program proactively, SoCal Structural manages the full engineering scope, structural report, retrofit design, permit coordination, and construction support. Reach out for a free consultation and we’ll tell you exactly where your building stands.