Oakland Municipal Code § 15.27.010 Title

This Chapter shall be known as "Mandatory Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Certain Multi-Unit Residential Buildings," may be cited as such, and will be referred to herein as "this Chapter."

(Ord. No. 13516, § 2, 1-22-2019)

This Chapter is intended to promote public safety and welfare through a program of mandatory seismic evaluation and retrofit of certain residential buildings vulnerable to earthquake damage and collapse. The program is intended to reduce earthquake-related deaths and injuries, improve the durability of Oakland's housing stock, facilitate post-earthquake emergency response, improve community stability, minimize displacement during retrofits and after an earthquake, and reduce the economic impacts of a damaging earthquake.

(Ord. No. 13516, § 2, 1-22-2019)

This Chapter shall apply to buildings constructed or permitted for construction before January 1, 1991 or designed based on an adopted version of the 1985 or earlier edition of the Uniform Building Code, and contain five (5) or more dwelling units, and have a wood frame target story. Following the effective date of this Chapter, if an owner adds one (1) or more dwelling units to a building that has fewer than five (5) dwelling units so that it becomes a building with five (5) or more dwelling units, then the building shall be considered a subject building at the time building permits are issued for the additional dwelling unit(s).

(Ord. No. 13516, § 2, 1-22-2019)

No subject building for which permitted retrofit work is completed in compliance with this Chapter and properly maintained shall be required by the City to undergo additional seismic retrofit of its seismic force-resisting system within a period of fifteen (15) years after the effective date of this Chapter, except that any provisions in Title 15 related to addition, alteration, repair, or change of occupancy shall still apply.

(Ord. No. 13516, § 2, 1-22-2019)