Living in Los Angeles means living with the reality of earthquakes. For apartment owners and property managers, this reality carries added responsibility: ensuring multifamily buildings are safe, resilient, and compliant with seismic codes. Older apartments, in particular, face significant vulnerabilities that put both residents and property value at risk.
Here are the top 5 earthquake risks in Los Angeles apartments:
1. Soft-Story Construction
During an earthquake, the open ground level lacks the stiffness needed to resist lateral movement, making collapse highly likely.
2. Non-Ductile Concrete Buildings
Without sufficient steel reinforcement, these buildings are brittle and prone to sudden failure under seismic stress.
3. Unreinforced Masonry Walls
Made of brick or block without adequate reinforcement, these walls are highly susceptible to cracking and collapse during seismic activity.
4. Outdated Foundations
Older apartments with shallow or deteriorating foundations are at higher risk of shifting or separating from the structure above.
5. Inadequate Connections and Bolting
Many older apartments were not bolted securely to their foundations.
Protect your buiding from earthquake hazards with a seismic retrofit from Brave Builders.
