San Francisco commercial property owners may have recently received a notice regarding Ordinance No. 70-25, which established the City’s Concrete Building Screening Program. Adopted in 2025, the ordinance is designed to identify older concrete buildings that may be vulnerable during an earthquake and create a citywide inventory of potentially at-risk structures.
Importantly, Ordinance 70-25 does not currently require most building owners to perform a seismic retrofit. Instead, it requires certain property owners to complete a screening process so the City can identify buildings that may be subject to the program and better understand San Francisco’s seismic risk. The ordinance also establishes voluntary retrofit standards for owners who choose to strengthen their buildings.
Which Buildings Are Covered?
The ordinance generally applies to concrete buildings that:
- Were permitted before July 1, 1999 (or designed under an earlier building code)
- Contain more than one story of concrete construction
- Use concrete walls, columns, or other vertical structural elements to support gravity loads or resist seismic forces
Several exemptions apply, including certain one-story buildings, some smaller residential properties, complete steel-frame buildings, and structures that have already been retrofitted to qualifying seismic standards.
What Should Property Owners Do?
Owners who receive a notice should review the City’s requirements and submit the required screening information by June 9, 2027.
Depending on the property, owners may need to engage a California-licensed architect, civil engineer, or structural engineer to provide the technical information required as part of the City’s screening process.
It’s also important to gather documentation of previous seismic upgrades, as prior retrofit work may qualify a building for an exemption.
Why It Matters
Although the ordinance does not mandate retrofits today, it introduces greater transparency around the seismic condition of older buildings. As a result, buyers, lenders, and investors may increasingly evaluate a property’s screening status during acquisitions, refinancing, and due diligence. Addressing the screening requirements early can help reduce uncertainty and support smoother real estate transactions.
Understanding whether a building is subject to the ordinance, and whether it qualifies for an exemption, can help owners better prepare for future financing, ownership, and investment decisions.
Work with an Experienced Seismic Consultant
Because Ordinance 70-25 includes technical structural criteria and building-specific exemptions, working with an experienced seismic consultant can simplify the compliance process. A qualified structural engineering team can review your building’s construction history, identify potential exemptions, assist with the City’s required screening, and advise on voluntary seismic retrofit options when appropriate.
If you’ve received a notice regarding San Francisco Ordinance 70-25, don’t wait until the June 9, 2027 compliance deadline. Contact Partner’s structural engineers and seismic consultants to discuss your building and the next steps in the City’s screening process.
