How would a massive earthquake impact California’s housing shortage?
The answer is obvious. A major earthquake that hits densely-populated urban areas would make California’s housing shortage much worse.
Such an earthquake could take a heavy toll on California’s affordable housing supply, particularly the older, soft-story apartment buildings that are most at-risk of […]
Before 1980, wood-framed, soft-story apartment buildings became a staple of Southern California’s rapid development. These structures featured open ground floors for parking with residential units above, prioritizing land use over safety.
These structures have since been shown to be among a community’s most deadly. Perched as if on stilts with their […]
The dilemma of whether to allow new construction on active earthquake faults remains contentious. Equally pressing is the issue of the many structures already positioned over these hazardous fissures.
These concerns have emerged prominently in areas like Hollywood and other parts of Southern California, where active faults run through numerous neighborhoods.
In […]
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 […]
Apartment owners faced with any major renovation, repair or alteration of their building are often concerned with the impacts construction could have on their tenants — and whether the work will require added expenses.
These extra costs can include paying for additional precautions to minimize impacts, establishing alternative parking when assigned […]
In 2025, environmental safety remains a major priority for property owners, contractors, and regulatory agencies alike. Despite advancements in construction and abatement technology, asbestos and lead continue to pose significant risks in older apartment buildings, particularly those built before 1980. These materials, once commonly used in insulation, paint, and pipe […]
Recent developments in Long Beach have underscored the critical importance of protecting our community’s affordable housing stock. Plans to repurpose an old community hospital into a multi-service healthcare campus were delayed due to a state law prioritizing affordable housing developers when selling or leasing surplus land. The nearly century-old hospital […]
In recent years, Long Beach has taken bold steps toward creating a more equitable and resilient city. Community forums, listening sessions, and equity initiatives have brought thousands of residents together to confront the realities of racial and socioeconomic disparities—and to find pathways toward meaningful change.
One area that often goes overlooked […]
Is your apartment building up to today’s seismic safety and design standards? If it was built before the mid-1970s, it may be time for an upgrade—both structurally and functionally.
Many building owners are combining seismic retrofitting with interior renovations, taking advantage of the opportunity to modernize living spaces while strengthening their properties […]
A recent social media post sparked an important question about earthquake safety:
Q: Is there a way to know how safe your apartment building is in case of an earthquake?
While some believe that a building’s past survival guarantees future stability, this assumption is dangerously flawed. Each earthquake is different, and a building’s […]
