Disaster Highlights 2007 0709 v2

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Evolution of State and local requirements - One way to visualize the development and evolution of a retrofit program is to look at the history of the State requirements for the retrofit of unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings. This program started with a state mandate for an inventory of the buildings, followed by mandatory disclosure to owners, and finally mandatory disclosure to tenants and the public through the posting of signs. While cities are not required to mandate URM retrofits by state law, over three-quarters of URM buildings are now part of mandatory retrofit programs. California enacted AB 304 (Hancock) during the 2005-2006 session to allow local governments to regulate the retrofit of soft-story buildings. This legislation is modeled after early URM law. Retrofit carrots and sticks - Different programs or incentives may need to be used for apartments of 5 or more units, for these buildings may be defined as commercial, whereas 3 or 4 unit apartments may be defined as residential. Sometimes local governments may view building departments as logical leads in all activities associated with encouraging soft-story retrofits. However, these programs work best if a variety of departments are involved. The role of planning and community development departments is particularly essential. For example, one way to encourage soft-story retrofits is through the imaginative use of financial, procedural, and land use incentives. Several ideas were developed during a 2005 policy "charrette" hosted by ABAG. . Parking, zoning, and density trade-offs - Local governments might allow owners to have fewer parking spaces per unit in exchange for retrofit work on the parking under a building. Another option might be for an owner to be allowed to add an additional ground-floor unit to a building to partially offset the cost of a retrofit, even if addition of such a unit might result in densities that exceed those of existing zoning. . Redevelopment funds - Local governments could use a portion of their Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds as an incentive for retrofit of housing in identified neighborhoods. CDBG funds are given to cities by the u.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to help ensure decent affordable low- and moderate-income housing, particularly when existing conditions pose a threat to the health, safety, or well-being of a community. . Tax credits - One option might be for a city to waive a portion of a business tax for a set number of years to encourage owners to retrofit. As another option, a portion of property transfer tax might be rebated in exchange for earthquake retrofitting. . Transfer of development rights - A local government could allow rights to additional units in an area be sold or transferred to parcels with soft-story buildings as another way to allow construction of additional units that might help recoup the cost of retrofitting. . Reducing setbacks - Setbacks to the street or to adjacent properties might be reduced to create an opportunity for construction of an additional unit on a parcel, the rents from which might be used to partially offset the costs of retrofitting. This idea is particularly appropriate where a new two-story unit can be constructed with windows facing the street for added security. . Coordination with rent control boards - Coordination between local planning, building, and rent control boards may result in at least part of the costs of retrofit work beinQ passed on to tenants throuQh increased rents. Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) Policy Number HSNG-c-8 LHMP Policy Number HSNG-c-7 November 14,2005