DATE: March 26, 2019
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Development Services Director
SUBJECT
Title
Seismic Retrofit Standards for Multifamily Buildings Work Session
End
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
That the City Council reviews this report and provides direction to staff on the development of retrofit standards for multifamily buildings in Hayward.
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SUMMARY
Multifamily wood frame buildings with soft, weak, or open-front (“soft story”) conditions are at risk of severe damage or collapse in the event of a major earthquake. Staff estimates that approximately 280, pre-1979, five or more unit buildings in Hayward are potential soft story buildings. In the past decade, several California cities (including San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland) have developed soft story retrofit programs to reduce the risk of collapse of soft story buildings in their jurisdictions. Staff recommends and requests Council feedback on the following:
• Adopting a mandatory soft story building screening program that applies to pre-1979 multifamily wood-frame buildings with five or more units to identify and increase awareness of soft story buildings in Hayward; and
• Adopting retrofit standards and performance goals for soft story retrofits to provide guidance and incentives for owners who decide to retrofit voluntarily.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment I Staff Report
Attachment II Soft Story Retrofit Programs