Chapter 1 - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

State of California Multi‐Hazard Mitigation PlanChapter 5 – Earthquakes, Floods and Wildfires: Risks and StrategiesCEA to “educate residents about their earthquake risk and motivate them to protect themselvesand their property.” The CEA board sets aside funding each calendar year (equal to 5 percent ofits investment income up to $5 million annually) for funding mitigation efforts. This annualallocation requirement is set forth in California Insurance Code Section 10089.37.Single‐Family Wood‐Frame DwellingsApproximately 1.5 million single‐family dwellings were built in California before 1960 whenjurisdictions began to require adequately braced walls. Homes can slide or fall off theirfoundations if not adequately anchored and braced.The primary risk posed by single‐family wood‐frame buildings is the potential for loss of housingand property after earthquakes. In addition, poorly braced homes on steep hillsides can slidedown hills and present significant threats to life. Falling chimneys can also cause casualties anddamage.A 1999 survey by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) determined that from 2percent to 38 percent of Bay Area homes were retrofitted depending upon jurisdiction, with anaverage retrofit rate well below 10 percent. Similarly, the California Earthquake Authority hasfound that about 6 percent of policyholders have retrofitted their homes.Mitigation of Single‐Family Wood‐Frame DwellingsThe following cities have voluntary dwelling retrofit programs:• Los Angeles‐6000 retrofitted as of February 2006 (also adopted a hillside dwelling retrofitordinance)• Berkeley• San Leandro• Oakland• Santa Barbara• Santa MonicaThe most current retrofit provisions are available in Appendix Chapter 3 of the InternationalExisting Building Code. Local governments in the San Francisco Bay Region have adopted morestringent retrofit provisions called Standard Plan Set A.(www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/plansets.html)The state also requires sellers of dwelling buildings to disclose to buyers any typical earthquakeweaknesses defined in the Homeowner’s Guide to Earthquake Safety.Multi‐Unit Wood‐Frame Residential BuildingsThere is no statewide inventory of multi‐unit wood‐frame residential buildings. However, theapproximate number of buildings can be inferred from local inventories available from selectcities as summarized below. 54 A significant number (perhaps one‐third) of all apartments and54Department of Finance Demographics Unit (www.dof.ca.gov); Vukazich, Selvaduray & Tran, Santa Clara County Survey, EERISpectra Vol. 22, No 4, Nov 2006Public Comment Draft – July 2010 158