Orange County’s economy is robust: leading most other U.S. counties, many states – even some countries – in terms of output.
The region’s gross domestic product, standing at $288 billion in 2021, surpassed that of Oregon and New Zealand.
As one of the leading economic powerhouse counties in the nation, are we […]
Small businesses, the lifeblood of the U.S. economy, are often the first to suffer from natural disasters such as earthquakes.
Although they create two-thirds of new jobs and stimulate economic growth – particularly in underrepresented communities – small businesses are often least prepared to withstand disasters
The COVID-19 pandemic brought devastating loss […]
We don’t know exactly where or when the next major earthquake will strike, but we do know that quakes are inevitable in California and many other states.
It’s also clear what buildings will likely suffer the most severe damage from seismic shaking.
Beyond these facts, it’s wise to assess your apartment building’s […]
Most older apartment building fall short of today’s standards for earthquake safety and fail to offer the types of interior spaces tenants want.
If your apartment building was constructed before the mid-1970s, it could benefit from an upgrade of both its structural safety and functional design.
Many building owners in these circumstances […]
Should new construction be allowed on top of active earthquake faults? And, what about the thousands of structures already perched upon these fearsome fissures?
These questions have played out in Hollywood and other parts of the Southland in recent years, where a worrisome weave of active faults snakes its way through […]
Apartment buildings in the Greater San Diego Area may sit on soil that is prone to liquefaction, landslides or other instability when shaken by an earthquake.
If your apartment building is located in Mission Bay, Mission Valley, Tierra Santa, Linda Vista, and many other San Diego communities, it’s best to have […]
Thirty million people from Sacramento to Baja Mexico felt 24 shocks and aftershocks over three terrifying days when Ridgecrest was struck by 6.4- and 7.1-magnitude earthquakes on July 4 and 5 in 2019.
The Mojave Desert quakes triggered extensive ground movement that is believed to have raised the major earthquake risk […]
While a growing number of local governments in California have moved forward with seismic retrofit ordinances in the last decade, most cities still don’t have these important public safety laws in place.
And since earthquakes can strike virtually anywhere at any time in California, communities which have not addressed seismic issues […]
Santa Monica is recognized as a leader in California earthquake safety, having retrofitted more than half of its seismically vulnerable buildings.
Ambitious efforts to upgrade several types of structures that historically have caused death and destruction during major earthquakes set the city apart as a model for communities starting to deal […]
A number of Southern California cities have adopted seismic retrofit requirements that go beyond the earthquake retrofit ordinance passed by Los Angeles in 2015.
These cities are ordering vulnerable “steel moment frame” buildings to be upgraded.
A popular type of construction in which a building’s skeleton is made of steel beams and […]
