Building Inspection Commission lends its support to mandatory 'soft‑story' seismic retrofit ordinance

The San Francisco Building Inspection Commission on Feb. 20 voted unanimously to lend the commission's support to a proposed mandatory seismic retrofit ordinance targeting wood‑frame "soft‑story" buildings three or more stories tall with five or more dwelling units.

Pat Antonini, the ordinance's presenter, told commissioners the measure had been introduced to the Board of Supervisors on Feb. 5 with mayoral sponsorship and multiple cosponsors. "This is probably the single most important public safety issue that'll be before the board this year," Antonini said, calling the effort a decade‑long, consensus‑driven policy.

Supporters at the meeting described the ordinance as an affordable, prioritized approach to reduce earthquake risk and aid post‑quake recovery. Chris Poland, a structural engineer and chairman of SPUR's Resilient City Initiative, said the program "provides the needed strengthening to the soft story buildings to make them safe," and argued the work would allow more residents and workers to "return to their homes after an earthquake and shelter in place."

Commissioners and public speakers pressed staff on the program's scope and costs. Antonini said the department estimates roughly 3,000 buildings will require retrofit work and that the initial noticing pool will be slightly larger to ensure no building is missed. He described a financing "menu" that includes private lenders, Mills Act options for eligible historic properties and a property‑attached public financing option (an opt‑in, Mello‑Roos–style mechanism) so the obligation can stay with property, not individual owners.

Tenant advocates expressed strong support for the safety goals but warned of potential rent pass‑throughs. Sarah Short, director of the Housing Rights Committee, urged care so that retrofit costs do not displace low‑income renters: "There could be as much as $100 a month in a pass through," she said, and urged the commission and Board of Supervisors to seek fairer approaches to avoid displacing vulnerable tenants.

Commissioners also asked about impacts on ground‑floor small businesses and whether temporary relocation assistance would be needed. Staff said the retrofit work is typically concentrated at perimeter and ground‑floor framing and that many businesses should be able to continue operating during retrofit work; buildings with ground‑floor businesses were placed in the longest compliance tier to give owners more time to plan.

After discussion, Commissioner Walker moved that the commission lend its support to the ordinance; the motion was seconded by Commissioner Clinch and carried on a roll‑call vote with all commissioners voting in favor.

Next steps outlined at the meeting include continued outreach, issuance of administrative bulletins to clarify procedures, coordination on financing options, and Board of Supervisors consideration (the presenter said the ordinance will take effect 60 days after the mayor signs it and property owners will have one year from notices to complete an initial screening).