Seismic Retrofitting Program for Soft-Story Multi-Unit Housing
The Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit (EMR) strengthens multi-unit residential structures that have a soft, weak, or open front (SWOF) seismic deficiency such as tuck-under parking or open space on the ground floor. Building owners will be able to apply for EMR grants if the building:
- Is located in a program-eligible city that has a mandatory, multi-unit residential soft-story retrofit ordinance,
- Is multi-story, wood-framed, and built before 1991,
- Has 5–10 units,
- Has “tuck-under” parking on the ground floor beneath the living area, and
- The building owner has received a notice and order to retrofit from their city, and
- The retrofit is a full ground-floor retrofit in accordance with FEMA P-807, IEBC Chapter A4 (latest edition), or ASCE 41 (latest edition); a line-only retrofit does not qualify for this program. See Program Rules for full details.
Read the full EMR Program Rules
Registration Coming August 2026.
Sign Up to be Notified When Registration Opens
EMR-Eligible Cities in California
Northern California
- Albany
- Berkeley
- Mill Valley
- Oakland
- San Francisco
- San Jose
Southern California
- Beverly Hills
- Burbank
- Culver City
- Los Angeles
- Pasadena
- Santa Monica
- Torrance
- West Hollywood
Note: Additional cities may be added as mandatory ordinances are adopted.
Soft-Story Vulnerability
A building with tuck-under parking or similar open space on the ground floor, beneath the living area, is also called a “soft-story” building. Soft-story buildings are vulnerable to earthquakes because the parking area is an open space with few supports, which can collapse during an earthquake, causing the upper floors to pancake down on top of the parking area. This can result in widespread damage and loss of life, as was the case with the Northridge Meadows apartment collapse in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake (M6.7).
The good news is that these soft-story buildings can be retrofitted to strengthen the ground-floor parking or open area, making the building better able to withstand earthquake shaking. The EMR program will provide grant funding to help qualified building owners retrofit their buildings and address this vulnerability.
Latest Program Development Updates
We will update this page with new information as it becomes available. Please Sign Up to receive email updates about the EMR program.