Soft Story Huntington Beach

As seismic safety continues to be a top priority in California, property owners in Huntington Beach are turning their attention to the vulnerabilities of soft-story buildings. While Huntington Beach has not yet adopted a formal mandatory soft story retrofit ordinance as of 2025, the city is actively studying the issue, and history shows that similar cities often adopt legislation following regional assessments, state mandates, or after major earthquakes.

At Alpha Structural, we’ve retrofitted hundreds of buildings throughout Los Angeles, Orange County, and coastal cities like Huntington Beach. This page offers a clear, expert-driven guide to soft story structures, local developments, and why proactive retrofitting remains the smartest move for landlords and property managers in seismic zones.

What Is a Soft Story Building?

A soft story building is typically a wood-framed structure with one or more open, ground-floor levels—most commonly tuck-under parking, retail storefronts, or carports—that lack adequate lateral support. This architectural design creates a critical structural weakness that makes the building especially prone to collapse during an earthquake.

Soft story buildings were widely constructed before modern seismic building codes were introduced in the late 1970s. Many still stand today throughout Southern California, including Huntington Beach’s residential and mixed-use neighborhoods.

Why Huntington Beach Building Owners Should Pay Attention

Although Huntington Beach does not currently have a soft story retrofit mandate, city officials have acknowledged the seismic risks. Neighboring cities such as Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood already require soft story retrofits by law.

In the aftermath of California Senate Bills 721 and 326 (which focus on balcony and exterior elevated element inspections for multifamily buildings), many municipalities are also considering companion retrofit ordinances for seismic vulnerabilities.

Property owners should be prepared for a similar ordinance in Huntington Beach in the coming years. Acting now—before mandates and deadlines—offers greater flexibility and often reduces total retrofit cost.

The Risk of Waiting: Understanding Soft Story Collapse

The Northridge Earthquake of 1994 offers a grim warning: soft story buildings were among the most vulnerable structures, with dozens of total collapses and numerous fatalities. The failure occurs when the upper floors move laterally during a quake while the open lower level cannot resist the shear force.

Key risks of delaying retrofitting include:

• Loss of life or injury to tenants during an earthquake
• Complete structural collapse, especially in buildings with multiple stories and minimal bracing
• Liability exposure for landlords and building owners
• Code violations or red tags if a future ordinance is enacted
• Higher retrofit costs once a compliance deadline is in effect

What Is a Soft Story Retrofit?

A soft story retrofit involves structural reinforcement of the open lower level to improve the building's seismic performance. The goal is to create a continuous load path that transfers lateral forces safely to the foundation.

Common Retrofit Techniques:

• Steel moment frames: Welded or bolted steel beams that resist shear forces.
• Cantilevered column systems: Allow for parking spaces to remain with added structural reinforcement.
• Plywood shear walls: Reinforce lateral load resistance along key wall lines.
• Drag connections and tie-downs: Ensure that vertical loads connect properly through all building levels.

Every retrofit is engineered based on site-specific conditions, including soil type, occupancy, wall layouts, and the number of open bays.

Soft Story Ordinances: What Huntington Beach Can Learn from Nearby Cities

Several Southern California cities have adopted successful retrofit programs, providing a likely template for future ordinances in Huntington Beach:

Los Angeles (Ordinance 183893):

• Applies to wood-frame buildings built before 1978 with tuck-under parking.
• Compliance timeframes ranged from 2 to 7 years, depending on building type.
• Over 13,000 buildings identified as at-risk.

Santa Monica:

• Requires retrofits for soft story, non-ductile concrete, and unreinforced masonry buildings.
• Provides tenant habitability plan requirements and clear engineering submission deadlines.

West Hollywood:

• Implements detailed phasing deadlines and required notices to tenants.
• Requires engineering, permitting, and final construction all within set windows.

Planning Ahead: What Huntington Beach Landlords Should Do Now

Even without a current ordinance, landlords in Huntington Beach can—and should—take the following proactive steps:

1. Schedule a Soft Story Assessment

A licensed structural engineer will evaluate whether your building qualifies as a soft story and provide a vulnerability rating.

2. Request a Retrofit Feasibility Report

This includes proposed retrofit strategies, cost estimates, parking impact considerations, and expected timelines.

3. Design & Engineering

If you choose to move forward, a retrofit plan will be developed based on your building's unique structure, occupancy, and budget.

4. Permitting

We help navigate Huntington Beach’s permitting process, even in the absence of a formal mandate, ensuring full code compliance and documentation.

5. Construction & Completion

Most retrofits can be completed within weeks with minimal disruption to tenants. Our team works efficiently and respectfully to meet timeline and safety goals.

Benefits of Proactive Retrofitting

• Increased Safety: Protects lives in a major seismic event
• Reduced Liability: Lowers legal exposure during litigation or tenant injury claims
• Insurance Incentives: Some carriers offer premium reductions for retrofitted properties
• Futureproofing: Puts you ahead of potential mandates and code changes
• Property Value: Demonstrates a long-term commitment to maintenance and safety

Why Choose Alpha Structural

With over three decades of seismic and structural engineering experience, Alpha Structural is one of the most trusted names in soft story retrofitting across Southern California. Our in-house engineering and construction teams provide:

• Expert soft story assessments
• Code-compliant retrofit design
• End-to-end project management
• Transparent pricing and timelines

We’ve completed thousands of soft story retrofits for apartment owners, HOA boards, and commercial property stakeholders—and we bring that expertise directly to Huntington Beach.

Schedule Your Assessment Today

Don’t wait for the next ordinance—or the next earthquake. Protect your building, your tenants, and your investment by scheduling a soft story retrofit assessment today.

Call Alpha Structural at (714) 410-5611 or request an assessment online. Our structural specialists are here to help Huntington Beach property owners make informed, confident decisions.

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