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
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 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
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
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