If you own, love, or hope to buy an older house in Santa Monica, you have an extra item on your checklist: earthquake safety. The city already requires seismic retrofits for many structures, and buyers are asking for proof. You want to protect your home’s character and your investment while staying compliant. In this guide, you’ll learn what the rules cover, how timelines work, what retrofits cost, where funding stands, and the next steps to take. Let’s dive in.
Santa Monica retrofit rules
Santa Monica adopted a mandatory retrofit program in 2017 that gives the City authority to require evaluations and retrofits for specific building types. The rules are codified in the municipal code and enforced by official notices to owners. You can review the program’s legal basis and definitions in the City’s municipal code summary of the ordinance. Read the municipal code overview.
The City identified a large inventory of potentially vulnerable buildings citywide, with soft‑story wood structures representing the biggest share. Local reporting estimated nearly 2,000 buildings at risk when the program launched. See the local report on at‑risk buildings.
Which homes are affected
Santa Monica’s program targets older, earthquake‑vulnerable designs. The main categories include:
- Soft‑story wood buildings with large openings at the ground level.
- Unreinforced masonry buildings with brick or block bearing walls.
- Older reinforced concrete and tilt‑up structures.
- Older welded steel moment‑frame buildings.
If your property falls into one of these categories, expect formal City notices and deadlines tied to your building type.
How the process works
The City notifies owners in phases. Once you receive a Notice to Owner, your timelines start. Deadlines cover steps like submitting a structural evaluation, getting permits, starting work, and completing construction. The exact schedule varies by building type, so always follow the dates in your notice and the municipal code. Check the municipal code summary.
Failure to comply can trigger administrative enforcement, fines, and other remedies. If ignored, owners risk liens or orders to address unsafe conditions. Review enforcement language in the code.
Tenant protections and costs to tenants
Santa Monica has discussed tenant habitability protections during retrofit work and how costs interact with rent rules. The City has historically resisted automatic pass‑throughs to rent‑stabilized tenants, and policy can change. If you are an owner or a tenant, review current local guidance and decisions. Read coverage of tenant protections discussions.
Retrofit methods
Different structures need different solutions, but the goal is the same: add lateral strength and secure connections.
- Soft‑story wood buildings: add steel frames or columns, new footings, or shear walls to stiffen the ground floor. See plain‑English soft‑story guidance.
- Unreinforced masonry: anchor walls and tie floors and roofs to stabilized elements. This work is typically more complex than wood retrofits.
- Single‑family wood homes: many benefit from foundation bolting and cripple‑wall bracing, which helps prevent sliding and overturning in a quake.
Typical costs
Costs vary by size, access, and structural conditions. Ballpark ranges help you plan:
- Basic single‑family brace and bolt: often a few thousand dollars, commonly around 3,000 to 12,000 dollars.
- Soft‑story multifamily: ranges widely, from tens of thousands to more than 100,000 to 200,000 dollars for larger or more complex buildings.
These are estimates. Engineering, permitting, and the discovery of asbestos or lead can change final costs. See a summary of typical cost ranges.
Funding and incentives now
Grant programs have shifted, so verify current status before you budget.
- Federal mitigation funds: Santa Monica has participated in FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program efforts, but funding cycles vary. See a FEMA public notice for Santa Monica.
- Recent changes: in 2025, press reporting documented cancellations that affected planned multifamily retrofit funding statewide. Many owners can no longer rely on those grants. Read the report on funding cancellations.
- Single‑family grants: the Earthquake Brace + Bolt program periodically offers grants for eligible brace‑and‑bolt work. Amounts, eligibility, and registration windows change, so check current rules. Learn about EBB program updates.
Bottom line: do not assume previously announced funds are available. Confirm the status of any grant or fee waiver before starting work.
Steps for owners of older houses
- Confirm status: check whether your property is on the City’s inventory or has received a Notice to Owner. Your deadlines run from the notice date. Review the municipal code summary.
- Hire the right experts: a licensed structural or civil engineer should prepare your evaluation and design drawings. Then secure permits.
- Get multiple bids: ask contractors to include permit coordination and a clear plan for how work will be staged. Schedules often span months. See a typical retrofit process overview.
- Explore funding: review EBB registration windows for single‑family homes and confirm any federal or local programs before counting on them. Check EBB updates.
- For rentals: review Santa Monica rent rules before assuming cost pass‑throughs or scheduling work that affects habitability. Read tenant protection coverage.
Checklist for buyers of older homes
- Is the property on the City’s seismic inventory or subject to a Notice to Owner?
- Has a Structural Evaluation Report been completed by a licensed engineer?
- Are there permits for retrofit work, and are final sign‑offs complete?
- What was upgraded, and are there warranties, engineer letters, or inspection photos?
- If work is pending, what deadlines transfer to you after closing? Confirm with the municipal code summary.
Selling with confidence
Be transparent and proactive. Disclose any City notices, engineering reports, and permits. Completed, permitted retrofits can support buyer confidence, insurance conversations, and pricing. If work remains, outline what is left with the City’s timeline and provide the documents buyers will want to see. Use the municipal code summary for reference.
If you want a sale strategy that honors your home’s Spanish tile, wood beams, or mid‑century lines while positioning completed safety upgrades as a value add, we can help craft that story and guide your timeline.
Quick glossary
Soft‑story
A wood building with a ground floor that has large openings or fewer walls than the upper floors, which makes it weaker in a quake.
Unreinforced masonry (URM)
Brick or block bearing walls without modern reinforcing steel. These are vulnerable without upgrades.
Non‑ductile concrete
Older concrete buildings designed before modern ductility standards. They can be brittle without retrofits.
Notice to Owner
A formal City notice that starts your compliance clock for evaluations, permitting, and retrofit work.
Brace and bolt
A common single‑family retrofit that bolts the house to the foundation and braces short wood walls to prevent sliding.
Ready to align safety, compliance, and design when you buy or sell in Santa Monica? Let’s talk about your plan with Jose Prats.
FAQs
Are seismic retrofits mandatory in Santa Monica?
- Yes. The City’s mandatory program requires evaluations and, if needed, retrofits for specific building types once you receive a Notice to Owner. See the municipal code summary.
How long do I have after a Notice to Owner in Santa Monica?
- Timelines vary by building type and are measured from your notice date, with milestones for evaluation, permitting, and completion. Always follow your notice and the municipal code. Review the code summary.
Can I pass retrofit costs to tenants in Santa Monica?
- Not automatically. Santa Monica has discussed tenant protections and has historically resisted automatic pass‑throughs to rent‑stabilized tenants. Check current local rules before you budget. Read local coverage.
Do I need to retrofit before selling a house in Santa Monica?
- A retrofit is not always required to close, but unresolved Notices and required work remain the owner’s legal responsibility and can affect negotiations and lending. Check the municipal code summary.
How much does a basic brace‑and‑bolt retrofit cost?
- Many single‑family brace‑and‑bolt projects run around 3,000 to 12,000 dollars depending on scope and conditions. See typical ranges.
Are multifamily soft‑story retrofit grants still available in 2025?
- Availability changed in 2025 when widely expected federal funds were canceled, so owners should not rely on prior announcements. Verify current programs before planning. Read the 2025 update.
