Unreinforced Masonry Buildings - Timeline

Timeline

2024

• Fall:
  • Planned adoption of URM retrofit recognition codes, defining minimum voluntary seismic upgrades required to be recognized as retrofitted on the city’s URM list.
  • Legislative working session to request study on statewide financial incentives for URM retrofits.
• Summer:
  • Hiring of URM Structural Engineer
  • Intent to Apply for FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Funds submitted to Washington Emergency Management Division. Proposed scope includes community meetings with lenders, insurers, and financial strategists.
  • FEMA Grant Application “Selected for further review”. Grant scope includes developing building costs for 3-4 archetype buildings in the Chinatown-International District and Pioneer Square neighborhoods.
• Spring:
  • Mayoral Proclamation for Building Safety Month committing to retrofitting URM buildings.
  • Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) Conference in Seattle, featuring URM focused opening plenary from Congresswoman Jayapal and Seattle Chief Operating Officer, Marco Lowe.
• Winter:
  • Listening Session- URM Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) Proposal

2023

• The URM Retrofit Technical Standard was updated and SDCI hosted webinars to educate stakeholders. Webinar, recordings and slides are available on SDCI’s URM project documents page. The Standard establishes two pathways for URM retrofits, the code-based method or the Alternate Method that is similar to California’s “Bolts+” method.
• Director’s Rule 6-2023, A Method for the Seismic Improvement of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings, was adopted which allows for the voluntary use of the Alternate Method for qualifying structures undergoing seismic retrofit.
• Resolution 32111 was adopted which directs SDCI to create a voluntary URM Retrofit Ordinance using the URM Retrofit Technical Standard. Buildings retrofitted to either method described in the Standard will not be subject to future mandatory seismic retrofitting legislation adopted by the Council and the Mayor.
• Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal met with representatives of City and key stakeholders to discuss opportunities to increase access to federal funding for earthquake retrofit projects.
• The City met with the advisory council to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to discuss the challenges associated with accessing FEMA grant funds for earthquake risk reduction projects. As a result of this meeting, formal recommendations were made by the advisory council to increase federal funding for earthquake retrofits and to reduce barriers for seismic projects associated with FEMA grant scoring criterion.
• SDCI established a series of policy development working groups to inform funding, communications, and resource development needs of URM building owners and tenants. These groups met a collective total of ten times.
• SDCI is working in partnership with the Office of Emergency Management to develop and submit a FEMA grant application in support of URM retrofits to the WA Emergency Management Division.

2022

• The URM Technical Standard Task Group was formed to update the Technical Standard to reflect scientific advances.
• URM Program Manager position created and filled.
• Mayoral Proclamation for seismic upgrades of historically, architecturally and culturally significant URM buildings.

2021

• URM Program Manager position created and filled.
• Resolution 32033 is signed on December 15, 2021, directing the City to renew efforts related to the mandatory URM retrofit program
• King County announces C-PACER- innovative loan program to boost commercial and multi-family building resilience.

2020

• The state passes HB 2405, authorizing counties to establish C-PACER financing programs.

2019

• The Alliance for Safety, Affordability, and Preservation (ASAP!) develops policy recommendations for a URM retrofit program that include a new transfer of development rights program.

2018

• Outside consultant wrote report analyzing policy committee financing and funding recommendations.

2017

• URM Policy Committee publishes their recommendations for a mandatory retrofit program.

2016

• Finished validating the URM inventory list.
• Notified building owners on Confirmed URM List.

2012

• Proposed URM Retrofit Technical Standard

2001

• Nisqually Earthquake: Magnitude 6.8, a deep earthquake under Puget Sound. It injured 400 people and caused $2 billion in damages, including over $8 million in repair costs to URMs in Seattle. Of the buildings Seattle determined to be unsafe after the earthquake, two-thirds were URMs.

1970s

• Adoption and repeal of URM Structural Standard due to prohibitive costs to building owners.

1965

• Earthquake: Magnitude 6.5, a deep earthquake centered close to Seattle. Many ground failures occurred in the Alki and Harbor Island areas. Six people were killed, mostly by falling debris. Damage was $104 million (2010 dollars).

1949

• Earthquake: Magnitude 6.8, a deep earthquake centered near Olympia. Eight people were killed, mostly from falling brick and the region suffered $314 million in damages (2010 dollars). In Seattle, the effects were felt mainly in the northern section of West Seattle and at the mouth of the Duwamish River.