On January 17, 1994, a 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck Northridge, California, resulting in thousands of casualties and approximately $60 billion in damages and economic loss. Hospitals within the impacted area suffered...more
The refusal of M&S's plans to demolish and rebuild their flagship store on Oxford Street by the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (Michael Gove) has attracted much attention because of the wider...more
Consider the things you rely on during a normal day that support your routines and well-being—lifelines such as electricity, water, gas, roadways, public transportation, bridges, and others commonly thought of as essentials...more
On March 31, the Administration unveiled its long-awaited infrastructure proposal from the President’s Build Back Better Plan. The American Jobs Plan will impact a multitude of industries and the economy in seven key policy...more
On Oct. 19, 2020, the City Planning Commission certified for public review a proposed citywide text amendment known as Zoning for Coastal Flood Resiliency (ZCFR). The proposal seeks to update and make permanent those zoning...more
On September 19, 1985, more than 5,000 people in and around Mexico City lost their lives when the 8.0 magnitude Michoacán earthquake collapsed 412 buildings and seriously damaged several thousand more. Many of the buildings...more
The tax proposal initially released by the House Ways and Means Committee could look very different from what Congress actually approves. However, analysts have said that, if passed, certain provisions in the tax plan could...more
As you may be aware, the deadline for condominium associations to vote to forego retrofitting with a fire sprinkler system is rapidly approaching....more
California Coastal Act Blocks Housing Project in Venice Despite Earlier Approvals - Judge James C. Chalfant of the California Court of Appeal on Sept. 29, 2016, affirmed a lower court ruling denying a developer’s petition...more
The City of Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety (DBS) has released its list of wood frame soft-story buildings that may be required to undergo mandatory retrofitting. The list can be obtained by request to DBS, and...more
On October 9th, the Los Angeles City Council voted 12-0 to approve an ordinance requiring mandatory earthquake retrofitting for thousands of buildings in Los Angeles. The ordinance comes nearly a year after the publication of...more
Capping a year-long partnership between the City of Los Angeles and Dr. Lucy Jones, a well-known seismologist with the United States Geological Survey, Mayor Eric Garcetti released “Resilience by Design” last week, a plan...more
The recent Napa earthquake caused significant damage to buildings in the historic downtown areas of the cities of Napa and Vallejo, and brought to the fore the limited extent to which California law requires seismic safety...more