For Oakland property owners, February 2025 isn’t just another date on the calendar—it’s the deadline for completing a mandatory soft story seismic retrofit. If your building is on the city’s compliance list and you haven’t started the process yet, the clock is ticking—and the risks are real.
“Not meeting this deadline for a mandatory retrofit opens you up to financial risks,” says Connor Daly, founder of Connor Daly Construction. “The biggest one being a major earthquake that causes damage to your building, its inhabitants, your structure, and your ability to create rent and generate money going forward.”
Soft story buildings—those with weak ground floors typically used for parking—are particularly vulnerable during earthquakes. In cities like Oakland, where many multifamily structures were built before modern seismic codes were adopted, the potential for catastrophic damage is high. Daly warns, “If the building has not been reinforced and suffers catastrophic damage… you’re not only risking lives but possibly facing demolition, displacement, and a complete loss of rental income”.
But structural risk isn’t the only consequence. The city may begin enforcement actions against non-compliant properties. “The City of Oakland has not yet announced what sorts of enforcement they are doing,” Daly notes, “but there are a couple different options once the deadline hits. They might possibly start with giving everyone a warning followed by a violation, followed by a fine, with the potential of going all the way to a red tag”.
What’s most likely? “We’ll see warnings and violations given out,” Daly says, “and hopefully then that’ll be enough of an impetus to get the rest of the remaining property owners to complete their retrofits”.
For owners, that means now is the time to act—not later. Seismic retrofits take time to plan, permit, and build. And with a surge in last-minute compliance efforts expected before the February deadline, contractors and city agencies are likely to get backed up.
Connor Daly Construction specializes in helping owners navigate these retrofits from start to finish. From engineering and permitting to construction and inspections, they streamline the entire process—so you can protect your tenants, your property, and your income.
If your Oakland property is subject to the February 2025 soft story retrofit deadline, don’t wait. Contact Connor Daly Construction today to begin your retrofit and avoid costly risks and enforcement penalties.
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