Earthquakes occur quickly, without warning, and are uncontrollable hazards, making them the primary cause of damage, death, and physical infrastructure destruction. Worldwide evidence reveals that there are upward trends in the number of individuals who are affected by earthquakes. Preparedness is defined as the activities and measures taken in advance to ensure effective response to the destructive impacts of disasters. Preparation for earthquake is considered [...]

Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States. Since it was founded in 1781, a number of nicknames have been acquired by the city. For the name of the city, City of Angels, many people know the loose version. The City of Sunshine and Flowers, La La Land, and Earthquake Central are some of the lesser-known nicknames. This last term is why [...]

How much will it cost to retrofit this Soft Story? It is the most frequently asked question that I get during a site review. Building costs were difficult to calculate when this regulation became law, but now that more than 1,000 structures have been retrofitted in the City of Los Angeles, it is easier to determine construction costs. This little article will help you understand [...]

Many of you know that in the City of Los Angeles there are about 13,500 Soft Story buildings that need retrofitting since the passage of Ordinance 183893 & 184081 in 2015. Many property owners don't know how long the whole process of retrofitting can be. Did you know that drawing up a set of engineering plans takes about a month? And do you know how [...]

A compulsory retrofit plan for Soft Story Apartments was launched by the City of Los Angeles in May 2016. During an earthquake, these buildings are at risk of falling. The reference below explains whether or not these updates are required by your house. LADBS Soft-Story Retrofit Program My brother referred me from one of his property management companies in Sherman Oaks to an earthquake reconstruction [...]

A young teacher named Stephen Anaya and his family moved to a shingle-style bungalow in the early 20th century on Fraser Avenue's historic beach side street in Santa Monica in 1974. They bought it five years later. "Living on the street has been our dream," he says. "Buying the worst house on the street and fixing it was our philosophy. That's the only way we [...]

The block-sized plan set to be the next Hollywood home for Netflix (well, one of them) is about to be completed. The 3.5-acre development, named the Academy on Vine, will include multiple buildings, including a 20-story tower with 193 residential units, plus office and retail space, all located on Sunset Boulevard just south of the ArcLight and Cinerama Dome. Past developer projections from Kilroy Realty [...]

On Metro's Purple Line metro expansion to the Westside of Los Angeles, Tunneling is formally ongoing. Tuesday, under the junction of Wilshire Boulevard and La Brea Avenue, the first round of tunneling began. Twin 450-foot-long tunnel boring machines (dubbed Elsie and Soyeon) will carve out about 60 feet of tunnel daily for the next two years, en route to the Wilshire / Western station, where [...]

Developers and town officials get a leg up in the race to construct shelters and flats for the increasing homeless population of LA. There will now be a fresh state law exempting many of these projects from environmental review. Assembly Bill 1197 was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday and instantly came into force. "This legislation will help us make blueprints faster for the [...]

City authorities and property owners in Los Angeles are making strides in retrofitting the kinds of apartment houses that were particularly susceptible in the earthquake in Northridge in 1994. This week, tens of thousands of houses were toppled and damaged by the devastating — and deadly— temblor that hit 25 years earlier. As of this month, 1,500 Soft Story houses have been retrofitted and, according [...]