Optimum Seismic's Blog

Get Up To Date News About the Seismic Industry

1 December, 2023

‘King Of Beers’ models quake resilience

By |2023-12-20T19:33:55+00:00December 1st, 2023|AAOC, Buildings Resilience, Earthquake Resilience, Seismic Resilience|

Few might think to turn to a brewery for lessons on earthquake resilience, but the Anheuser-Busch company knows the subject well. 

When its brewery in Van Nuys suffered significant damage in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, the company decided to invest $11 million in retrofitting structures at the site to withstand the […]

4 November, 2023

Seismic Retrofits Protect Affordable Housing

By |2023-11-09T03:41:20+00:00November 4th, 2023|AACSC, Seismic Retrofit|

Plans to convert a community hospital into a multi-service health care campus were stalled as officials reviewed a state law requiring governments to give priority to affordable housing developers when selling or leasing surplus land.

[…]

3 November, 2023

Asbestos? Lead? It Pays To Do Things Right

By |2023-11-09T03:39:07+00:00November 3rd, 2023|asbestos, lead, SDCAA|

Many older apartment buildings contain lead and asbestos.  Owners sometimes downplay the health hazards these substances pose to humans and the environment. Some are tempted to bypass the rules by removing these contaminants undercover — hoping that no […]

2 November, 2023

Get Straight Answers On Earthquake Retrofits

By |2023-11-09T03:35:27+00:00November 2nd, 2023|AAOC, Earthquake Retrofit, Earthquake Retrofit Benefits, Earthquake Retrofits|

I recently ran across the following question in a social media post:

Q: Is there a way to know how safe your apartment building is in case of an earthquake? 

One person answered that if the apartment is still standing, it has survived everything until now — wrongly implying the building must […]

1 November, 2023

Does Earthquake Denial Make Disaster Worse?

By |2023-11-09T03:31:53+00:00November 1st, 2023|AAGLA, earthquake preparedness, Earthquake Protection|

Many Californians live in earthquake denial. We laugh them off, ignore their ever-present threat to our lives and livelihoods. After all, some reason, we’ve lived through earthquakes before. Why should the next one be different?

The stark reality is that protecting ourselves from earthquakes should be on all of our minds. […]

4 October, 2023

Asbestos? Lead? It Pays To Do Things Right

By |2023-10-17T20:31:09+00:00October 4th, 2023|AACSC, asbestos, lead|

Many older homes and apartment buildings contain lead and asbestos.  Owners sometimes downplay the health hazards these substances pose to humans and the environment alike, and feel tempted to bypass the rules by removing these contaminants undercover — hoping that no one finds out.

Failure to comply with the law on […]

3 October, 2023

San Diego Apartments Face Earthquake Risk

By |2023-10-17T20:25:44+00:00October 3rd, 2023|Apartment Buildings Earthquake Safety, apartments seismic retrofit, SDCAA, Soft Story Seismic Retrofit|

San Diego’s earthquake risk is significantly higher than previously thought, according to recent maps prepared by the California Geological Survey.

Recent information reveals the region’s fault zones are significantly larger and far-reaching than previously assumed – stretching along the Rose Canyon fault, an extension of the Los Angeles Newport-Inglewood fault, which […]

2 October, 2023

Are Your Building’s Balconies Safe?

By |2023-10-17T20:17:54+00:00October 2nd, 2023|AAOC, balcony Laws, Building Balcony Safety, Building Safety|

Coastal communities provide an abundance of breathtaking views, often enjoyed from rows of balconies facing west to the ocean and setting sun. These perches are iconic in seaside communities — a big draw for tenants entertaining friends, relaxing with a book, or enjoying their own piece of the outdoors.

Considered a […]

1 October, 2023

Will The Big One Increase Homelessness?

By |2023-10-17T19:59:59+00:00October 1st, 2023|AAGLA, Building Safety, Earthquake Threats|

How would a major earthquake impact California’s growing homeless population?

In 2019, the number of people in the state without homes grew by more than 21,300 people, or 16.4% — more than all other states in the nation combined — the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reported.  It rose […]

4 September, 2023

Earthquakes And Tsunamis: A Double Threat For Coastal Communities

By |2023-09-18T22:04:31+00:00September 4th, 2023|AACSC, Earthquake Protection, Tsunamis|

Two significant earthquake threats face communities in the Apartment Association of California Southern Cities area. 

One is the well-known risk of buildings being damaged by strong seismic shaking. The second is more localized along low coastal areas — the danger of a tsunami triggered by an earthquake […]

Go to Top