Community Action Plan for Seismic Safety (CAPSS)

The Planning Department has expended considerable time and resources on the Discretionary Review (DR) Reform Legislation. On Monday March 8, 2010 the Land Use Committee ‘tabled the [DR Reform] motion.’ That means the committee choose to stop action on DR Reform and to lay it aside indefinitely. The DR Reform legislation will remain in bureaucratic limbo unless and until it is called by the chair of the Land Use Committee or a supervisor calls for the legislation before the Board of Supervisors. SFCRG will continue to follow this legislation that if implemented would impact development projects in this City. See Video...

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).