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How can you find out if your apartment building is earthquake safe?

I wanted to know if there is any way you can obtain information as far as building codes for Los Angeles and if all apartment buildings are built up to that code. I was living in San Diego when the Northridge earthquake hit in 1994, and I still felt it. I heard from a few people in my apartment that the whole top floor came down and crushed the 1st floor. I just wanted to know what time of building I am living in.

Public Comments

1. not only the type of building and it's year of construction, but also the type of soil and conditions beneath the structure. the city of los angeles has publicly available soil hazard maps and building risk maps for all of los angeles. try checking with a research librarian, the city clerks office, the u.s.g.s office for the city of los angeles, your fire dept. for info on their plans and risk planning maps for emergencies like earth quakes. fema has a local office in los angeles, with plenty of information, and coordination with all local, state, and federal sources. a google search of the usgs website and a search for eq risk assessments for la. could turn up plenty of leads for the info you require. basically, the newer the structure, the more likely it will be up to codes. remember, the codes allways get modified after any significant event. there are at least 14 major faults under la.. better to live over secure rock strata than over softer soils, back filled areas, or areas that are low and subject to subsurface drainage. by all means, avoid the santa monica area, and west facing slopes, where ground deformation may be greater. the building you describe resembles many older apartment constructions, with first floor parking under the structure. open structures with colums or non reinforced masonry, like blocks or brick are a high risk.
2. Hello Lisam, The Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety publishes earthquake standards. They have records of every building throughout the City. I live in a sixty plus year old earthquake retrofitted building near Hollywood. It is rumored to have been occupied by Carole Lombard prior to marriage to Clark Gable (1940?)... All that history meant little with the recent past earthquake measuring 5.6 +/- As the building shaked and swayed. I prayed the retrofit was properly and professionally completed. By the timing of your question, we both see, we each lived! As I see it, going to L.A. City B&S and asking for records will do nothing constructive. After Northridge, all apartment buildings were required to pass safety tests. Those constructed before a certain date needed to prove compliance to modern safety standards. This required massive reconstruction and retrofitting older structures. If you provide your address to Building & Safety, they will confirm your building passes current standards and tell you when your building received retrofitting approval. You must face the tragic realization that Los Angeles is due a major quake that will destroy thousands of buildings throughout Los Angeles. Your survival chances are dependent upon the exact earthquake fault location and your proximity, the force of the earthquake and where you happen to be. While this earthquake is overdue, it does not necessarily mean it is imminent. It could occur in ten years or one hundred years or more. The mathematics are based upon averages over thousands of years. But the math cannot reliably determine any specific date, time, location or decade. If concerned significantly, leave California. Take chances with hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, droughts, sand storms, ice storms in other states. Remember the Nations biggest earthquake was the New Madrid fault near St. Louis, Mo. I am an older person with serious health issues. Many things may kill me. I have no control... No point in spending time worrying over matters we cannot control, including driving accidents, drive-by shooting, pit bull attack or a jealous husband of a Victoria Secrets model. (Sorry, this last ...my own fantasy preference) Live your life in full. Enjoy the time remaining. Plan to live forever and if you don't...you will simply follow all those who preceeded you. At least YOU will be the one with the big smile by enjoying the here and now! Best Wishes
3. Call the big bad wolf to come huff and puff and blow it down...no, wait, sorry... that's hurricane safe. My bad.