Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPSS)
SFCRG officers and members are working to ensure our interests are represented.
SFCRG is advocating before the CAPSS Public Advisory Committee (see videos) to offer property owners tangible financial incentives for seismically upgrading their buildings. Such as:
- Mitigate permit fees (too expensive)
- Fast-track City Planning (too lengthy)
- Exceptions for commercial space compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (hardship application could be granted)
- Allow for placement of garages in structures that are historically restricted by new rules (especially in Supervisorial District 3)
- Allow for clear path to legalize in-laws in seismically upgraded space
- Allow variances for lack of parking
- Reduction of property tax equivalent to the seismic upgrade
- Ensure property owners are indemnified from the vicissitudes of the SF Rent Board who must respond when renters claim hardship due to the work of seismically upgrading their domicile
Obviously all life safety, mechanical process, fire rating and exiting processes must be complied with.
Mayor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Directive 08-07 to expedite completion of the Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPSS) initiative and the development of retrofit guidelines for soft-story, wood-frame buildings. A soft-story building is one that typically has large openings on the ground floor such as multiple garage doors or large storefront windows.
Department of Building Inspection Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPSS).