Long Beach Soft-Story Retrofit Services

SB 721 & SB 326 Inspections
Engineering Design Services

Quick summary for property owners

Does my building need to comply?

You must comply if your building is:

If you received a Notice to Comply, you are officially part of the program.

What do I need to do?

1. Complete the Soft-Story Screening (Form 062)

A licensed engineer inspects your building and submits Form 062 to the City.

2. If needed → Prepare Retrofit Plans

If your building is not exempt, a full retrofit engineering plan set must be submitted.

3. Retrofit Construction

Contractor pulls the permit, performs the work, and the project receives final approval.

How long do I have?

You have 360 days from the date on your City Notice Letter to submit Form 062.

How Medro helps:

We handle everything:

Engineering inspection
Form 062
Form 063 (exemption, if applicable)
Retrofit engineering plans
City submittals & corrections
Structural observation during construction
Final sign-off support

Learn more about the process

City of Long Beach Soft-Story Program

Long Beach is developing a Building Seismic Resiliency Program to reduce the risk of older wood-frame buildings collapsing during earthquakes. According to City documents, thousands of residential units are in buildings built before 1978 that may have Soft, Weak, or Open-Front (SWOF) wall lines.

Buildings that must comply include:

Wood-frame buildings
Built before January 1, 1978
Two or more stories
Contain tuck-under parking or large ground-floor openings
One or more floors located above an open floor line

These buildings are vulnerable because the lowest level lacks the lateral strength needed to resist earthquake forces.

Your Notice to Comply = Your Deadline Clock

The deadlines do not start when the ordinance began. They start from the exact date printed on your building’s Initial Notification Letter

Soft-Story Screening (Form 062)

This is the first mandatory step. You must:

Hire a licensed engineer
Have the building evaluated
Submit Form 062 within 360 days of the notice date
This form is used to confirm:
Whether your building is truly a SWOF
Whether previous strengthening already eliminated the condition
Whether inventory details need correction

If your building is exempt:

The engineer will submit Form 063 and the building is removed from the list.

If retrofit is required:

You proceed to full engineering plans

Retrofit Engineering Plan Set

If the building must be strengthened, Medro prepares a complete plan set, including:

These plans are submitted to Long Beach Development Services for review

Permit Phase

After plans are approved:

The contractor pulls the permit
Pre-construction coordination occurs
Structural observation requirements are set

Construction Phase
Medro provides:

Structural observation visits
RFI support
Guidance on critical stages
Coordination with the City inspector

Final Approval
When construction is complete:

The City performs a final inspection
Final sign-off is issued
Your building is listed as “retrofit completed”

How Medro Engineering Supports You

End-to-end engineering

We manage every step from initial screening to final approval.

Experience with soft-story buildings

We specialize in multifamily wood-frame structures across Southern California.

Fast turnaround

We understand your notice date triggers strict deadlines.

Professional documentation

Clean, complete engineering packages reduce City corrections.

HOA & Multifamily Expertise

We coordinate communication for managers, tenants, and owners.

Frequently Asked Questions – Long Beach Soft-Story (SWOF) Buildings

I received a letter from the City. What does it mean?

The City’s letter means your building was identified as a potential Soft, Weak, or Open-Front (SWOF) building. In simple terms, the City believes your building may be vulnerable in an earthquake and is asking you to confirm the information and, if needed, consider strengthening.

Does this mean my building is unsafe right now?

Not necessarily. It means your building may be more vulnerable to earthquake damage compared to newer buildings or those that have already been strengthened. The screening step is meant to understand your actual condition and confirm the City’s inventory.

Is this the same as “soft-story retrofit”?

Yes. SWOF buildings are what most people call soft-story buildings; usually older wood-frame apartments with tuck-under parking or big openings at the ground floor and units above.

How do I know if my building is part of the program?

If you received a Notice / Initial Notification Letter from the City about SWOF or soft-story conditions, your property is in the inventory and you are expected to respond using the City’s forms.

What is Form 062 and why do I need it?

Form 062 is the Soft-Story Screening Form. A property owner (and in many cases an engineer) uses it to:

Confirm the City’s information
Indicate if previous strengthening has already been done
Help the City finalize its list of soft-story buildings

It’s the City’s way of cleaning and confirming the SWOF inventory.

What is Form 063?

Form 063 is the Request for Removal Form. It is prepared and signed by a licensed design professional if:

The building has already been properly strengthened, or
The building does not actually meet the definition of a SWOF building

If accepted, your building is removed from the SWOF inventory.

Is retrofit mandatory in Long Beach right now?

The City is currently in the inventory and outreach phase and is updating its program for SWOF buildings. Responding to the City and screening your building is part of that process. Seismic strengthening is strongly encouraged and may become more formalized or mandatory in the future as the program develops.

What happens if my building needs retrofit?

If the evaluation shows that retrofit is recommended, the next step is:

Prepare a seismic retrofit plan set (by a licensed engineer)
Submit plans to the City for review and permit
Have a contractor complete the work, with engineer and City inspections

We can handle the engineering and help you navigate each of those steps.

How long does this process take?

It depends on your starting point:

Screening only (Form 062): Typically days to a few weeks after site visit
Full retrofit design: Usually a few weeks, depending on building size and complexity
Construction: Varies by contractor and scope; often measured in weeks, not days

We can give you a more specific timeline after we review your building and your City letter.

What does Medro Engineering do vs. what the contractor does?

Medro Engineering:

Evaluates your building
Completes Form 062 and, if applicable, Form 063
Prepares seismic retrofit plans and calculations
Responds to City plan-check comments
Provides structural observations during construction

Contractor:

Performs the actual construction work
Pulls the building permit
Coordinates with our office and City inspectors during construction

Can you look at my City letter and tell me what to do next?

Yes. You can send us a copy of your Notice / Initial Notification Letter, and we’ll:

Explain what the City is asking for
Confirm which forms you need
Outline the recommended next steps and a proposed scope of work