Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Seismic Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DBI revives CAPS study, plans two-year contract and soft-story retrofit work
Summary
DBI told the Building Inspection Commission it expects to award a two-year CAPS contract (phase 2) after a revised RFP submission and is developing a soft-story retrofit program, advisory panel and data improvements to guide mitigation and possible demonstration projects.
The San Francisco Department of Building Inspection told the Building Inspection Commission on Monday that it is close to restarting the Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPS) and is designing a parallel soft-story retrofit program.
Lawrence Kornfield, chief building inspector, said DBI received a single proposal to its CAPS request for proposals from the Applied Technology Council and convened a review panel that included outside policy experts. The panel asked the proposer to revise the submission to emphasize social and cultural impacts, not only engineering analysis; the proposer expects to resubmit around the 15th, after which the panel will reconvene to consider a contract award.
"The goal is to look at what the damage might be to different facilities and, based on social, economic and cultural impacts, propose mitigation strategies," Kornfield said.
Kornfield described the contract as roughly two years long. The work under phase 2 is intended to deliver a prioritized list of mitigation strategies; a later phase would pursue demonstration projects or separate mitigation contracts if the commission endorses them.
Manager Ray Louie said the department is also assembling a public advisory committee for CAPS. "Some of the members will no doubt be the same," he said, adding DBI will solicit new participants and asked commissioners for suggestions to ensure a broad mix of homeowners, tenants, contractors and other stakeholders.
Commissioners and members of the public urged speed. A commenter identified in the transcript as "Senator Carniola" said the city should not drag out soft-story retrofits because delays increase the risk to life and housing. John Paxton recalled CAPS history dating to 1999 and urged DBI to identify impediments to faster implementation.
DBI also outlined a soft-story wood-frame retrofit program focused on buildings identified in CAPS phase 2. Staff said technical requirements and a more precise building-level database are being developed with partners including the Applied Technology Council, Earthquake Engineering Research Institute and the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California. The department said it would seek additional state funds to support improved data collection and a survey of targeted buildings.
Louie said DBI plans to repurpose remaining funds from an earlier UMB program for a second program that would go to the ballot; he emphasized the approach redirects existing funds rather than raising new taxes or assessments.
Kornfield said the CAPS deliverables should enable the commission and the Board of Supervisors to weigh mitigation strategies based on where damage and social impacts would be greatest. If the revised proposal is accepted and contracting proceeds on schedule, staff hoped the vendor could begin work in January.
Next steps: DBI will reconvene the review panel after the proposer revises the RFP response, assemble the CAPS advisory panel, and return to the commission with a contract recommendation and a proposed public-engagement plan.
