Torrance has adopted a mandatory seismic retrofit program, but it hasn’t activated yet, the ordinance is on the books, the City has identified the building types it will cover, but compliance notices and deadlines have not been issued. That gives owners a rare head-start: the chance to evaluate a building, plan a retrofit, and even begin construction before the clock officially starts. SoCal Structural can help you use that window productively.

The Torrance Ordinance at a Glance

Under Seismic Retrofit Ordinance No. 3916 (adopted March 14, 2023), the City of Torrance has created a mandatory program to strengthen older, potentially vulnerable buildings, including wood-frame soft-story structures. These are the buildings constructed under older design standards that pose a higher risk of severe damage or collapse during a major earthquake.

The City is currently in the implementation-planning phase. Compliance notices and deadlines haven’t been released, and no screening forms, engineering evaluations, or retrofit deadlines are active yet.

Program Status

• Ordinance adopted ✔
• Applicability determined ✔
• Implementation & Notice to Owners: Pending
• Compliance deadlines: Not yet released

We’ll update this page as soon as the City publishes official schedules.

What Types of Buildings Are Affected?

The ordinance targets existing wood-frame soft, weak, or open-front wall buildings, multi-story wood structures where the ground floor is significantly more flexible than the floors above. The condition is typically caused by:

• Large open parking areas (tuck-under parking)
• Lack of adequate shear walls at the first floor
• Open-front commercial bays or storefronts

These configurations are most common in pre-1980s construction and leave the lower story highly vulnerable to collapse during strong ground shaking.

Why Torrance Is Adopting This Program

Torrance sits in a high-seismic region near several major faults, and older buildings constructed under outdated codes present real life-safety risks. City engineers have identified hundreds of potentially vulnerable buildings, which is what prompted the ordinance. When the program activates, the goal will be the same as in every other Southern California city that has adopted one: reduce the risk of a ground-floor collapse during the next major earthquake.

How the Program Will Work Once Active

Once the City issues Notice-to-Owner letters, affected owners will be assigned deadlines to submit engineering evaluations or retrofit plans. Buildings confirmed as vulnerable will need full seismic retrofit plans, construction permits, and completion by the deadlines set in the Notice. Formal timelines are still pending.

The Case for Starting Early

Waiting for a Notice isn’t the only option, and for many owners, it’s not the best one. Early action offers several advantages:

• Avoid the rush. Once the City issues Notices, every affected owner in the city will be looking for engineers and contractors at the same time. Starting ahead of that wave usually means faster turnaround and more attention from your project team.
• Budget on your own timeline. Planning the work now means you can budget, finance, and schedule on your terms, not a City-imposed clock.
• Potential grant eligibility. The Earthquake Soft-Story (ESS) Grant Program, administered by the California Residential Mitigation Program (CRMP), offers up to $13,000 toward soft-story retrofits for eligible homes, and all Torrance ZIP codes qualify.

How SoCal Structural Supports Your Project

Soft-Story Assessments. Structural evaluation of the building, identification of soft, weak, or open-front wall lines, determination of retrofit needs, and voluntary pre-Notice screening for owners who want to get ahead of the program.

Retrofit Plan Sets. Lateral analysis and calculations, soft-story strengthening design, foundation/collector/diaphragm upgrades, cantilever column systems where appropriate, and complete construction details ready for City submittal once the permit workflow activates.

Permit Support. Once the City formally activates its permit workflow, we handle plan-check responses, structural observation, and final inspection coordination.

Tenant Communication Support. Notice templates and construction scheduling coordination for owners of occupied multi-family buildings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have compliance deadlines been issued yet? Not yet. The City is still preparing the implementation phase, no deadlines are active.

Does my multi-family building require a retrofit? If it’s wood-frame, has multiple stories, has open parking or commercial space at the ground level, and was built before modern seismic codes, it’s likely covered by Ordinance No. 3916.

Will owners receive an official Notice before anything is required? Yes. Retrofit work only becomes mandatory after the City issues formal Notice-to-Owner letters.

Can retrofit costs be passed through to tenants? That’s still pending. Torrance hasn’t published its rules on pass-throughs or cost-sharing yet.

What if I want to start the work early? Owners can voluntarily begin with engineering evaluations, preliminary structural assessments, or soft-story retrofit design concepts. SoCal Structural can perform early assessments and develop a phased plan so you’re ahead of the deadlines when the City activates the program.

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. SoCal 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.