SEISMIC RETROFIT
It's Time to Get Retrofit!
By Councilmember Dick Spees
February 2002

What does it mean to own a home in "Earthquake Country?" It has been over twelve years since the Loma Prieta earthquake struck the Bay Area and the threat of another earthquake increases every day. Scientists agree it is more likely than not that a magnitude 6.7 earthquake (the size of the 1994 Northridge disaster) or larger will occur within the next 30 years.

The City wants to help homeowners and rental property owners get ready. Last year I proposed, and the City Council adopted, a pilot program for waiving voluntary seismic retrofit permit fees for residential buildings. The program runs through June 30, 2002, and waives 100% of the retrofit permit application fee for buildings with four or more dwelling units. Moderate-income and low-income owners of residential buildings with up to three dwelling units may be eligible for having between 80-100% of their retrofit permit application fees waived by submitting a self-certified income statement when applying for a permit. More information is available at the Oakland Permit Center, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, or call them at 510-238-3443.

Our Get Retrofit Program provides valuable information and incentives to make your home safer before the next Bay Area earthquake. A free 12-page handbook, Earthquakes Happen: Easy Low Cost Ways to Make Your Home Earthquake Safe, describes the steps necessary to bolt and brace your home to its foundation, and lists informational and financial resources for retrofitting. Earthquakes Happen is available at many locations around the City, such as the Oaklander's Assistance Center in City Hall, the Oakland Permit Center, and my office. It can be downloaded from the home page at www.Oaklandnet.com.

The video Get Retrofit! The City of Oakland's Guide to an Earthquake Resistant Home details the retrofit process, from inspecting your home to deciding on a contractor or selecting the right tools and doing the work yourself. Get Retrofit! is shown periodically on KTOP Cable Channel 10 and can be borrowed from the video loan program at most Oakland Public Library branches.

The Temescal Branch Tool Lending Library at 5205 Telegraph Avenue, is increasing its inventory of earthquake retrofit tools available to Oakland residents. These tools can be checked out and used for home retrofitting projects as explained in the Retrofit Handbook. Call 510-597-5089 for registration details and hours of operation.

The Oakland Fire Department/Office of Emergency Services offers neighborhood emergency and disaster prevention, preparedness and response training through its Citizens of Oakland Responding to Emergencies (C.O.R.E.) program. You can learn how to prepare your household and how to organize your neighbors to survive. Call 510-238-6351 for information about upcoming classes and existing groups near you.

Also, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) publishes earthquake ground shaking intensity and liquefaction maps for the nine Bay Area counties online at http://quake.abag.ca.gov

While seismologists say the next severe earthquake will happen within the next 30 years, that could mean tomorrow. It's never too soon to be earthquake ready. We have organized City resources to help you - please take the first step by contacting us!