Wood-Frame Soft-Story Structures

San Leandro

The city of San Leandro established a wood-frame soft-story program on December 16, 2024 under Ordinance 2024-017. The ordinance adds Article 16 to Chapter 7-5 of the San Leandro Municipal Code: Earthquake Hazard Reduction in Existing Wood Frame Residential Structures with Soft-Story, Weak or Open Front Walls. Compliance with the ordinance includes mandatory screening and seismic evaluation of buildings within the scope of the Ordinance. Retrofit of buildings within the scope of the Ordinance is not required.

Scope

San Leandro’s mandatory wood-frame soft-story program applies to existing wood frame multi-unit residential or non-residential buildings, or portions thereof, with the following characteristics:

For residential buildings, the building contains five or more dwelling units,
The building was permitted for construction prior to January 1, 1985, under the 1982 Uniform Building Code,
The ground floor portion of the wood frame structure contains parking or other similar open floor space that causes soft, weak, or open wall lines, and
The building has one or more levels above the ground floor.

The city of San Leandro has compiled an Inventory of Potentially Hazardous Soft-Story Buildings (Inventory); however, at the time of publishing (January 7, 2026), the Inventory has not yet been released online, but a copy must be maintained for review at the San Leandro Building & Safety Division offices.

Timeline and Process

The City is required to issue a Notice and Order to the property owner when the Building Official determines that a building is a potential soft-story building within the scope of the ordinance and places the building on the Inventory. An appeal can be filed with the Building Official to reconsider a determination to include a building on the Inventory. The appeal to the Building Official shall be filed within sixty (60) days from the date of the service of such Notice and Order.

Milestone Requirement

Begin Process

Order received by building owner

60 Days

Building owners must install an earthquake-actuated gas shutoff valve certified by the State Architect

18 Months

Submit an Initial Screening and a detailed seismic engineering evaluation report prepared by a licensed civil or structural engineer in California. The report requirements are described in Section 7-5-1640 of the Ordinance.

Notify each existing tenant and each new tenant at a change of tenancy, that the building is included in the Inventory. A copy and proof of service of each tenant notification form must be mailed to the Building Department within 30 days of service.

Post a clearly visible and conspicuous warning sign with the statement below. The requirements of the sign are described in Section 7-5-1655 of the Ordinance.

“Earthquake Warning. This is a soft-story building with a soft, weak, or open front ground floor. Occupants and Visitors may not be safe inside or near such buildings during an earthquake.”

Removal from Inventory

Buildings can be removed from the Inventory based on a determination by the Building Official, completion of a seismic retrofit per the 2022 California Existing Building Code (CEBC) Appendix Chapter A4, or by lawful demolition of the building.

Updates

As of January 6, 2026, the City has not formally noticed property owners; however, some owners have received an informal courtesy notice letter indicating that their building has been identified as a potential soft-story building within the scope of the Ordinance and that they will receive a formal Notice and Order in the future.

CONTACTS

Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Phone: (510) 428-2907
E-mail: seismicordinances@wje.com

City of San Leandro Building & Safety Division
835 E 14th Street, San Leandro, CA, 94577
Phone: (510) 577-3405