matter of law a lightwell something that effects the view of the neighbor check with the planning department. >> thank you thank you for presentation i have two quick question is the demo permit need and if so when that the demolition permit needed. >> in would context oh, a recliner model. >> demo not needed in fact, we'll council against it because in a demo permit is issued and something happens you don't have the funds to continue we now have a space that maybe unsafe it is something we don't want to end up when our generally doing a recliner model the definition is within the alteration project. >> not a separate permit.

>> question get those woijsz people want to get started they come in and by demo demo all the exterior walls as opposed to demolish a building we don't allow demolition from time to time as joe said you have an empty shell sitting there and actually, the inside as sheer value. >> the more important question i have i understand there is a position called permit expediters a service that people provide permit exerter do how did a expediter interface. >> i deal with the permit

expediter by a homeowners hired or a project sponsor that didn't have the time to go and interact with the building department on their own it is a service they provide people that don't want to come down and go through the process themselves. >> so the permit expediter does especially what the professional will do otherwise. >> yes. you pay a fee and give somebody a set of plans they go to the bon appetit. >> you pay this person a fee for professional fees a designed professional. >> they have to be registered. >> as a permit expediter yes and typically are a letter from the owner stating they're allowed to picking up pull a permit they're a service yes. >> thank you for this

presentation as far as timeline assuming that the plans have been submitted and approved how long - what is the timeframe when the construction has to take place and when is it to be finished. >> so to answer yes two questions once it is approved through all the disciplines then a matter of paying for the permit to start work projects that are i believe a million dollars estimated project costs or less you have three hundred and 60 days to complete the project that's when that the permit expires we off one time extensions getting near the expiration come in for another 360 days and talk about

the project with the inspectors over million dollars i believe seven hundred and 20 cases the same thing with the extension have to have permission after is or the 2ek extension. >> thank you very much thank you for workshop if you have a window not fire rated and plans to put remove this window is that then then the window was not removed so that there's a fire hazard in the wall is that what happened after a couple of years when the plans submitted to you show the window was not there. >> so just so clarify what our

saying our saying that you sensely have a set of plans that show a property line window as existing. >> no the plan showing you if not existing a form situation. >> okay. okay. >> not existing on the plans but when they actually did the work they left the window there. >> well as a field inspector i would go out and look at the approved set of plans and no windows on the property line and i'll see they put one in at that point i'll give them the option to go to the budget analyst report and rise their permit we allow property line windows on the condition their fire rated for 45 minutes and their non-operational you have to fill out an administrative bulletin

form and get it notarized if the building next door it built to the window you have to take out the window and put a real wall there. >> we allow that if they did that they'll have a correction or they'll get a notice of violation generally, we don't throw a notice of violation we give people an opportunity to fix something that was codes deficient if they do we issue the notice of violation so to answer your question if not on the plan get a revised set of plans their as a matter of law a window think is property line. >> if the neighborhoods wanted to put a wall next to that will they be able to do that. >> they will not be able to do that. >> once the fire rated - and correct and what about about the

for rated. >> as long as it is above the roof when they put in the window the window if you have a building you cannot poke the wall out and put in a window okay. the fire rated window has to be above i think 6 feet is what the code says let late i can't tell but from the neighbor builds up t feet ii want to remind everybody this is a q and a about permits we'll not answer any specific

code questions we can give you the proper times you're allowed this is really is not the forum to ask those questions for any properties that you might have thank you. >> thank you for the wonderful presentation i'm with the department of public health and one of the senior inspectors i send all the applicants to come to the district for dbi and others departments one of the questions that mostly come up with if an applicant submits the application for apartment to operate for a massage or tattoo manual and no construction is required or needed but facility was not a massage - never a

massage or tattoo facility that existed more like this a slogan but add an additional kind of requirement for their business and the applicant needs to pull a permit or do they require an over-the-counter permit only if they don't need to do any construction because for record purposes they have to get an approval from dbi to get permit. >> yeah. generally a change of use will need to go through planning in order to - you'll need a building permit we can look to make sure that your complying with the existing and accessibility and the fire life and safety anything that is triggered by the change of use.

>> one thing i deem as a problem every time i send the applicant to the dbi they look at over-the-counter and take it back and is no construction dbi didn't generate any preliminaries permits so a change of use - they have to have a permits and a change of use did that require a set of plans. >> it requires specifically for a change of use i'd like to i'll get our card afterwards and talk about that. >> wonderful thank you. >> that was a good question. >> i want to thank you, gentlemen for doing an outstanding job and once we

customer friendly come down a desk to answer your questions and if it is complicated spend the money to save. >> good afternoon, everybody welcome to the dbi residential remodel portion of the fair you're very welcome and like to say a couple of things it is really important that we put this information out there facilitates a good understanding in regards to property owners and requirements and how we can

accommodate our needs and give you a better understanding of the process that's really what that is all about so the team is here i was going to do the introductions but get bean that the punch so already we have joe if you're sitting in the previous presentation alongside him is concerning from the electrical division and steve is always on the left our chief plumbing inspector so just in 3, 4, 5 brief overview we'll put information outs there from 4 divisions within the department building inspection we have a representative from plan check before the permit is issued a

review stage we have electrical and plumbing so building electrical and plumbing is after issued so you guys have the permits at that point and engaging with the inspector now how many of you guys are homeowners here? okay. so really we know the construction industry folks to me, you are our to death market we want to help with education and making sure that you know what it is that needed to be done in order to secure a permit now they're residential remodel that broke down 3 things have a permit application that you file in in regards to getting the simple permit getting the simple permit is an application what we're trying to do we're trying to maintain the minimum standards for habitant ability and life safety so these

are the homes you will if in we want to make sure whatever work needs meets the minimum standards for safeties so questionable conservatism is another one, if you're living in our home you're paying a pg&e bill want to know as a result of your remodel there is right small business commission in the walls you're using the proper lighting and that have the proper installation for the plumbing will will help to keep the utility bills will be far less in you make sure you have that that installation and energy conservatism and really what the trump card for me is do you meet the minimum codes standards so again your building is safe our inspectors go out and know bans the building code

the the plumbing code and electrical code who what you should maintain the life safety for the building and again the benefits of having a permit securing a permit resources you can go it to i think the website is invaluable because a lot of information there that will give us the background only ways to work through the system can be a extricated system can be daunting you walk in the doors as a homeowner you look around where due go now remember there is a lot of resources there that brows the website go on the website and try to find what it is your target is when our coming down

there and a lot of very helpful people aaron the building from the information counselor if you need to go to planning they're right there talk with someone at planning so really depended on the you know what kind of permits the over-the-counter permit just an application you're talking about a kitchen remodel a bathroom remodel and fill out the application and usually you're out the door definitely the same day and usually shorn that a matter of an hour or so a simple kitchen or bathroom type of permit when you have a permit that requires plans it can still be over-the-counter but submitting plans with the application and that will be a case everywhere your let's say remodeling the kitchen but open up the area

between the dining room and remove that wall to do let plans of the removal of wall showing a new floor plan that's why we need the plans and get both their scenario and material is taken in not over-the-counter that is for instances you are adding to the envelope of the house whether horizontal or vertical or synonyms that maybe also include meeting units or adding an accessary dwelling unit potentially or you know thiechz things of that nature i'm going to turn it over to jojoe >> all right. thank you mr.

o'reardon i went over some of this it will be redundant information but for those of you who just joined it will be fresh and new i'm joseph i'm a certified i think certified plant examiner and i cc inspection and work with the department of building inspection again pat touched on it the window in-kind replacement you know skylight replacement in-kind decks and stairs repair or less than 50 percent in-kind cosmetic kitchen and bathroom you're not changing the layout and anything structural and by changing the late out not moving or removing or as a matter of law walls dry

rot and termite in-kind and reroofing possibly over-the-counter permits without plans could possibly require multiple agency review depending on some roofing permits that the sloped roof visible from the roof needs to get planning approval and other agencies maybe required electrical plumbing and mechanical scolding the department of public works street permits and those types of things i don't want to talk about it but don't want to be redundancy type of over-the-counter permits are plan our kitchen and became remodel and spiritual non-structural i mean by non-structural you're cutting a door into a non-bearing wall

you're changing the layout and endangering a shower or eliminating a wall with an island that changes the layout and has to be documented in our records decks and stairs if you're going to be doing more than 50 percent can do an in-kind but need drawings with the in-kind repair rooms downstairs adjacent to garage or conversion of on and on habit l non-habitual space adjacent to the garage with explains that could be an over-the-counter item whether our doing work not adding to a letter units and putting in a family room and half bath could be done over-the-counter with plans function repairs and upgrades in the structural can do the review

in less than an hour and not changing the envelope of the plan anything above 10 feet is the major engineering not you'll not be able to review it in less than an hour because of calculations and fences over 6 feet i know you're thinking why do you need plans and everything all this information for fences over of feet and there 6 feet i don't need a permits for it is because when you get to a heights of over of feet we're not worried about the fence what you created a large-scale have you a wind below that large-scale can move and uproot and end up in the neighbors

swimming pool or garden and the voluntary seismic upgrades can be done over-the-counter with a supervisor and less than an hour plans requiring intact again, i know i went over this before any new buildings or horizontal or vertical you're changing the envelope of the building solar installations 4000 kilowatts and above all the above that i mentioned require planning review in addition to the architectural structural and mechanical okay generally projects one hundred dollars need a mapping review and the construction process the building form we looked at the on the previous slide or the previous show or informational

presentation thank you, pat so i'm going to go ahead to the next page now and again, it is very similar to iowa is on the previous presentation you'll need your for the building and construction the building permit form and again, it will be a type 3 or form 8 form 8 being over-the-counter form 3 excuse me. yeah. form 8 over-the-counter and 3 a submitted job the inspection record certificate of completion and occupancy will be touched been by the next presenter this is the pink form it is not a lot of information you'll have to fill out i mean it will be your

address, your name maybe our contractors name, and the scope of work what our planning on doing the rest you'll have help fte out at the information deck the construction type and the occupancy and the block and lot things like that i think i've gone over and done that i'm going to turn it over to our next presenter mr. burke. >> thank you, joe i'm ken burk acting chief electrical inspectors with the department of building inspection the we'll be going over - the inspection process a diagram on the board after the permits is issued you begin the work process and when you are ready can schedule an

inspection okay. the inspectors inspections to be made to the addendum scheduling inspection go phone number is up there and also you you can schedule online through the dbi website if you're set up that way most homeowners will not be that way but contractors not uncommon the work is begun schedule the inspiration and the inspector comes out and goose over what you've done out there depending on the scope of the work you get a rough inspection and then you go through your framing your electrical and plumbing and get cover up for all of that the project moves on and you can once you put in all, all

finishes put in for a final inspection and go ahead and schedule that and then is the department prides ourselves in responding to the requests within 48 hours give it a day or two your inspection that no problem getting an inspection after the finally, you get our job card signed off and you can get our certificate of final completion and then you can also after that visit the website to make sure the paperwork is completed okay some general information scheduling a phone number to talk about with the clerk to get on schedule and call 48 hours in

advance, to make sure that everything moves along smoothly for you, you, you, call between 8:30 and 3:00 o'clock to book our inspection and schedule online at any time and then contracts can schedule online if you the morning of your inspection can all the inspector or a lot of times the inspector will call you the contact on the inspection information to narrow down a window for you try to give a one hour window so you're not waiting all day if touksz to 3 o'clock the inspectors are in the office from 7:30 or visit

the county between three and four with paperwork or to teacher of what the inspector or any questions regarding our job specifically can get the district inspector at the counselor between 3 and 4 i'll i'm going to turn it over to now to steve. >> good afternoon, everyone i'm steve chief plumbing a inspector with the department for 17 years and doing plumbing for 26 now so i said where we're going back and forth on the next slide i'll show you that's a job card did main contract whether the sign offices for everything this is happening that is what you get when you pay for the permit and want it as a homeowner that will be doing work that's what you'll get first and doing plumbing or electrical work that will be a

homeowners permit this is totally different come to the 3 floor and speak with myself possibly an inspector on duty for electrical and pluralism and go have not process of getting a homeowner permit just because you want one didn't mean you may get it but ask you a few questions and but have a plumbing and electrical unfortunately, i didn't put those slides in there to show you my bad the insides of job card have signatures and go through basically, if you look at on the left-hand side facing that on the left-hand side in the middle towards the top my snatch i put my snatch you'll not see the will same snatch an everything but the underground work if it is bog done the first one that is as i understand off

and right below that rough inspections have our plumbing and in order what we like to see and what works best kitchens and bathrooms i'm not going into major constructs not too many homeowners will do their horizontal and vertical addition through a contractor but giving you stuff i want t you to understand the process you'll see on a kitchen or bathroom you'll see the rough sign off on the rough sign off rough plumbing and shower pans and rough electrical if you have ac with the heating the blue center it is everything that is usually cord up by sheetrock or fixtures before it gets covered we want

to make sure that is tested and done correctly you'll get the plumbing and electrical inspector out there first once their sign offices done and is builder inspector on the bottom saying it is okay to cover and everything is all right. on the right-hand side that's the final side that will be the completion that when we come out to our beautiful bathroom and come out and see the water closet the toilets is in the correct place and is sinks and is shower is done right and look at the outlets they'll sign off once that is complete call for building they'll come out and sign once they sign that will complete the process they'll give you a certificate of closed session that loosens that that certificate will be completed and everything will be in the system now, when i say in the system i

mean our system at dbi showing that we went out and did the inspection if so completed if you see an electrical permit and have signatures right there come down and see us that means somebody didn't put in this is something that everybody needs to keep any project that you have anything that is done? one of the most important pieces of information this gives the information yes someone that signed off and it is done even if we have something opened we had something like that that is completed that will help us to close something out we'll get to the questions after i know i've - on this slide and most ever

you have this slide should see the mechanical and dbi and sidewalks and trees and special inspections we're getting into something beyond with the homeowner you know that most everybody is homeowners but getting into sidewalks >> trees working outside of the structure and going beyond what i'll consider month homeowner permits in the passive 17 years i want to keep is basic so our goals we value our opinion we have a onions issue with an inspector or don't understand something come and see us we appreciate your coming down but not yelling at us but so we can help our goal to safety our main concern is our safety and pair or make sure that citizens of san francisco and

yourselves do everything to code and everything is safe everything else if something happens houston trust me that's why rewire permits and that's pretty much everything i have to say and love to take our questions come up to the fight our address is 16850 mission right 1515 south van ness avenue and mission street cross whether you can come off the free open mission street hallway up the block on the left-hand side. >> gentlemen if you have questions come to the microphone to start off if i call for an inspection and is inspector comes out addresses the inspect fails what is the process. >> for our processes an inspection fails ital depended

on what the correction notice if it is a pledging or electrical. >> if we have a correction notice that is incorrect and something has to be corrected you make the corrections you call and get a recliner inspection of that area that needs to be corrected we moved if everyone of everything is done we'll sign off your final is complete or this work you did say now correctly done right and we'll sign that. >> just from my perspective with building inspection when a correction has to be made the first one we think about are there plans involved is it something that can be corrected by just making some physical correction or dot plans need to be revised so if we go out and see the plans show that and

additional work was performed than that tells the inspector a restriction permit needs to be obtained to document the additional work but like steve says in most cases with the simple over-the-counter homeowners permit kitchen and bath and remodeling for us we see missing fire blocking and see that smoke detectors need to be added those are the usual things beyond that we potentially wouldn't be dealing with the average homeowner we'll be dealing with a incarcerating and if the contractor works outside the scope of the plans i have to work with them to make sure they get the appropriate document to document the full scope of the

work. >> thank you, again so what's the general timeframe and cost associated with permit just like a general you know, i know that permits can take a we'll and stuff like that. >> general question i can't give you i apologize everybody is different. >> yeah. yeah. is general timeframe for permits issuance once submit? the answer he gave it is if the an over-the-counter permit you can get it down within 48 hours a submitted project that depends on the applications how complicated the project a new building there is a lot of notifications that needs to take place so i don't have a good answer could want to though an answer just to give you information because it may not be accurate information i'd like

to give you no information than bad information >> okay. >> if you give us an example of what kind of permit maybe we can give you a more accurate answer. >> maybe remodeling a small units how long. >> your refer to a over-the-counter application permit the cost associated will be - well again, we don't deal with costs if you can go to section one 06 in the planning department a cost table if you're permit evaluation is from zero to 5 thousand dollars your permit fee is last week 200 and whatever dollars and $3.47 for every $100 get a ball park of the permit fees but volunteered

from the approval and inspection. >> will it be reasonable to say joe if you're coming in to get a permit for a simple bathroom remodel 4 or 5 hundred bucks in you're checking accountant. >> for electrical permit two-hundred and $40. >> the plunking is one and 50. >> okay. thank you. >> 5 hundred. >> thank you thank you for the opportunity so mine a particular question but for remodel my house is set on the back of lot line a fractured not a backyard will i get the

information of the plans of what i'm allowed to do going to the dbi website or if not who do i see to get that particular information how far i can move the deck out. >> your question is for planning really so the planning department will have oversight overexpansion of your property and as far as you'll be building a deck at the fronts of existing house anything at the front or visible from the street the planning department will review that if you wanted to get information the first place to go and what your describing the planning department at the ground floor on 1560 o 50 mission street and someone0 mis

street and someo60 mission street and someo50 mission street and someone will provide with you information. >> because it is street facing and anything that faces the street is something that the planning department will initially review you will need a building permit to document and memorize whatever the scope of the work ends up being but the planning department a good place to start before you invest in architects and spending money i mean you want to know what you can do. >> exactly thank you. >> and as a note he heard it earlier that this year that the city is taking a 10 percent

discount on the first year. >> the sale is on. >> thank you ken you're the acting chief inspectors are there preservation. >> ron is out on a judge not working right now. >> okay. thank you. >> thank you guys for that kind of a worst case scenario did a kitchen and bath thank you for being here. did a kitchen and bath got the card as i said off two years ago i just ran and looked at it on the website i've lost the job card what do i do. >> come down to 1660 mission for the fourth floor they'll pull the records and whatever permits have our plumbing and electrical and i have something

you talk with the inspector on the third floor and it could be noted could be there just. >> not gotten updated. >> i can't look it up right now i can speak to that from the building perspective because if you're looking at on the website and seeing some that is issued or expired not complete it needs to show complete you can it got signed off but the job card you think the find that or the come to see me or one the senior building inspector we'll have to research it on whatever information it is hard for us if the with builder inspector signed off for whatever reason didn't get captured in the system is where we need to backtrack and find a way to close our permit.

>> not the end of world. >> plausible. >> definitely not the end of the world your expensing that i'll give you a card. >> thanks. >> i have a question but related to a safety hazy appreciate the suggestion by all of you my wife and i recently bought a brand new house of months old so in waesht and believe it or not a massive bathroom the shore pan it is to slippery my wife and i fell down my wife got bruised contacted the owner and the representative to look at it and don't know what to do i look at the shower pan it is so smooth the surface what suggestion please.

can i jump in the only thing you can do is talk with the manufacturers or another representative to see if they can take that shine i don't know what the material is on top if you have a picture or i'll give you a card but if so like a marble finish or stone it is enclose i didn't and slippery but thinking they can take that and deadened that surface and acid washer i'm not an expert or sticky flowers. >> i know it looks ugly but don't the trick. >> i think that is a fiber

congruous you might have oufrments oftentimes you see the tiles around the shower and the tile is like the floor if it is shiny it is slippery so there's a process of eaching to take the shine off the tile to make that more shiny means slippery may have used is tile from the wall. >> they might not have removed the frond no a whole science and slip coefficient when you walk on slippery tiles and used for determining safety with ramps in commercial buildings we get those complaints someone walks in off the street and waiting

outside they slip there are standards surrounding the slip coefficient in regards to those surfaces and it is not unheard of that people put overseeing wall tiles synonyms they put them on the floor walls are not for walking on so. >> etching or buy a spray. >> no do an acid wash. >> don't mess are products (multiple voices). >> i'll let them do it thank you, sir. >> hello gentlemen thank you for the informational i have a new be can you point me in the guidelines to go excavate to

increase the ground floor of the property i can take that one i think that you're a homeowners; right? not an engineer. >> right. >> i think of the requirement is 7 foot of a headroom in regards to kitchens and closets and storage areas and corridors so 7 foot of your looking for so you know if you have 6 foot of have to go down a foot are you comploems the foundation that's the question so that's where you would you know talk with an engineer and the engineer will most likely say okay we have to dig and do testing so see where we're at simple put the foundation may have to be holstered in whatever excavation to get the 7 foot 6 or your

foundation maybe down far enough it is also lateral support if you dig down the function you take away the lateral support that's a construction concern and may need to upgrade did foundation to dig a foot this case. >> hi thanks for doing this is the interesting i'm new from new york so i'm learning all it from - i'm both a potentially homeowner and a architect i'm curious what happened when you have i don't know what you call it existing non-conforming structure or. >> grandfathered in. >> i mean, i was looking and wondering if this is grashthd that that type of thing what

triggers the need to bring everything up to code usually electrical i know. >> so i think about graisht as our fathers father and nothing more than that the planning department has an idea about existing non-conforming that is more of a planning issue than anything else if we are let's say the inspector is investigating and complaint maybe that the complaint is addition of dwelling units without the required building permit and building a single-family dwelling and it is being a second unit is rendered in the building let's say we go out and investigate the complaint looks like it is been there forever we do have a process in dbi i'm not sure if i'm going to the core of your question but a process in dbi

where the shareholders can bring if multiple records advisors records and water records showing you this unit this is a indeed been there for a long time that usually happens in the absence ever 80 good permit records we also have a current process if this is something not related to the potentially unauthorized unit some people want to add units or take over the house it is different bans what people want but then again, the deck is there are forever and the neighbor is complaining recently raped and done so well to permits not legal in the first place so right now have a lot

more sources for you know looking at this stuff you know we can go to google street view like you and google street has a time clock we can see what was there in all the way to 2007 and the person saying the garage was always there we click back in time and i say where's the garage if 2007 there are a lot of resources we put our for the sake of time in things like that too it gives us the information we need to make an informed decision. >> if i expected it was not to code is there a way to check that i'll have to have an engineer come in. >> you as an architect suspect

a defect in a little i mean, you're course of action to contact the engineer and have them look at before you submit and permit you know you don't want the building inspector who had the permit they're planning there is. >> one thing i want to add everybody thinkss this no matter what we find if it is exciting that was arrested there for thirty or 40 years a health safety violation no matter what we'll make them fix it and change that i just get to stress that the last time we met the pro-and it is not what we're looking at on purpose if we have something like our saying existing in the

situation but a health and safety we'll make sure you correct it and put that back to where none what die and that goes for everything i think i'm speaking for everyone on the panel we feel the same way to health and safety is the main thing. >> i'll to echo what stephanie is saying we've had situations in the past buildings collapsing and have to be immediately shored up we're not going to is hey we need to stop everything to go through planning and this and that we'll say on the contradiction of an engineer immediately shore this follow-up with the permit because steve is saying is correct life and safety we want a problem fixes if the problem is not serious we'll say okay. you need a permit to fixplease.

>> (clapping.) >> this is mandatory soft story program the keyword is mandatory 3 great dbi experts matt and chu and suzy introduce yourselves and get us started you thank you gary ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this year's earthquake safety fair. >> thank you for attending we're here to answer any questions you may have concerning the mandated soft story i'm matt if so chu and

suzy chu and i are civil engineers and susan i didn't say performing most of plan reviews for the soft story program and suzy a technology at the soft story windows so before we begin the q and a session i'd like to present a quick overview the project with a retrofit and business owners through 415 this presentation and much more is available at the website soft story website and then have the information desk at window 8 at 1660 mission and the structural of northern california known and c you know has a good website with tremendous amount of information so when you visit the site you'll see the link one for

property owners for tenants, for contractors and frequently asked questions and so forth background information on the program u.s. geology predicts a 63 percent of another large earthquake that will strike san francisco is in the next thirty years the tent be big as norwalk ridge in 2009 the schematic san francisco panel charged with improving the earthquake safety found that building with not retrofits are projected to have a one in four collapse rate during a serious quake while those with minimum retrofitting have a one and thirty chance of falling done so give the stakes the before

mentioned impacted the soft story ordinance over 4 years to help to insure the residential occupant and the resilience of the housing stock this legislation requires the retrofit of you will older and multiple wood frame residential building that have a steve richie condition overseeing house over one and 50 thousand san franciscans and are susceptible to strong damage in an earthquake because of weakness in the building lower story the ordinance is purpose to mitigate those soft story risk to damage and collapse to the strong earthquake and ground shaking and diminish the unhabitual housing following on earthquake disaster and what is the soft story buildings again wood frame built prior to 1978,

two or more stores over-basement or under floor that expends below grade and cantonese 5 or more units and a soft story buildings the first story is subsidizing more flexibility than the stories above due to lack of walls or frames on the second floor those are last year open ores arrest forces restaurants and convenience stores on the ground floor often feature large windows and garage door banks leaving the building highly vulnerable to damage under earthquake again why are they soft story buildings so disparage past earthquakes should demonstrated they're vulnerable to collapse in a major earthquake relative to other building types the collapse itself possessed a

safety risk and additionally can ignite fires that threaten the safety of occupants in neighboring building the city estimates 43 to 85 percent of soft story buildings will be uninhabitable following a major earthquake and such widespread damage what displace 58 thousand residents plus associated what the building devastation at that magnitude could impede the future economic welfare the next pictures illustrate the characteristicly danger behavior the soft story buildings can exhibit in a strong earthquake those are post loma prieta the 3 upper floors upcoming i uneffects at ground floor disto read and vulnerable to imminence collapse the next picture