Mayor Bass Applauds LA’s Progress On Earthquake Retrofits Of Apartment Buildings
Mayor Bass Applauds LA’s Progress On Earthquake Retrofits Of Apartment Buildings
Mayor Karen Bass praised the earthquake safety achievements of the City of Los Angeles during her inaugural speech on December 11, 2022.
Mayor Bass credited the achievements to former Mayor Eric Garcetti by telling him “Your legacy is large.” She noted Angelenos will be benefitting from Garcetti’s leadership in the years ahead “as we go to bed in apartment buildings that are safer from earthquakes.”
Recent reports have documented the City’s achievements in making apartment buildings safer in major earthquakes.
In 2015 the City of Los Angeles adopted an ordinance requiring seismic retrofit of soft-story buildings after 12,604 such buildings were identified as being susceptible to collapse in large earthquakes by the LA Department of Building and Safety. Since then, 8,228 (65%) have been earthquake retrofitted under provisions of the City ordinance. In addition, building permits for earthquake retrofits have been issued for an additional 2,068 buildings.
A study prepared by structural engineer Keith Porter prior to the LA Department of Building and Safety report indicated some 117,000 apartment units had been strengthened by these building retrofits.
Porter estimated that more than $1-billion has been invested thus far on retrofits to improve structural safety. Costs of these safety improvements are far exceeded by the many benefits provided by the seismic retrofits. Future financial losses are projected to be reduced by $41-billion, according to Porter. In addition, 1,500 deaths and 27,000 injuries and cases of post-traumatic stress disorder will be averted. The retrofits will also prevent 5,000 housing units from collapsing and prevent an additional 60,000 from being significantly damaged.
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Seismic retrofits are “a very cost-effective investment,” according to Porter. He calculated that every dollar invested in a retrofit will save $32 had the property owner not paid for seismic upgrades.
“Retrofitting these buildings today will keep many tenants in their homes,” Porter said. “The retrofits will avoid thousands of injuries that would otherwise require emergency medical care, freeing up medical resources when they are in sudden, severe demand. The avoided losses benefit everyone.”
Mayor Bass also pointed to the positive spirit and resilience that residents and businesses in Los Angeles have displayed in the face of natural disasters over the years.
“Angelenos, we need to recreate the spirit that I have seen in Los Angeles after our most trying times,” said Mayor Bass. “After an earthquake, everyone in the City looks around and asks what part can I play? What effort can I join? What specifically can I do to help my fellow Angelenos?”
The Mayor went on to say that there are many areas in which residents and businesses can assist their community, and urged residents to become actively involved.
According to Mayor Bass, three other major milestones that will be credited to Garcetti’s leadership in the future include: lighting the Olympic torch in 2028; taking public transit to the airport; and breathing in cleaner air.