Make sure you do your due diligence when it comes to buying a condo or TIC in a building with five or more units over a garage.
The city adopted a mandatory soft-story law in 2013, which targets buildings in various tiers that are susceptible to failing in an earthquake and requires owners to retrofit as necessary. You might be noticing these jobs happening as you walk or drive up San Francisco’s streets. Many of the buildings are on corners and have multiple garages. The city has notified building owners and has given them deadlines to apply for permits; work costs roughly $30-$50 per square foot—not an insignificant cost. Continue Reading