Department of Building Inspection Annual Report Fiscal Year 2015-2016 | Page 14

Program
Highlights
Additional
Dwelling Units Legalization of
In-Law Units Mandatory
Soft Story Private School
Evaluation
Established in May 2015, building owners participating
in the City’s Mandatory Soft Story Program or voluntary
seismic retrofitting programs may now add additional
accessory dwelling units in space that was not previously
residential so long as those units do not extend beyond
the existing building envelope. Established in May 2014, this ordinance allows
unauthorized dwelling units or, “in-law” units to be
legalized. This is a voluntary program that allows
property owners to formally register and rent their in-
law units in San Francisco, assuming all life-safety
conditions are met. Established in November 2014, the Private School
Earthquake Program went into effect, requiring existing
private elementary and secondary schools in San
Francisco to obtain an earthquake evaluation of their
buildings.
This ordinance will potentially add new affordable units
to the housing stock. It is applicable citywide and not
limited to specific zoning districts, except for the Castro
Street Neighborhood Commercial District (NCD). An in-law unit is an additional dwelling inside a property
that was intended to be a single unit. Homeowners
often convert and rent unused space in their homes.
Although it is common, this has been illegal. With this
ordinance, one of these existing units may legally join the
housing market should the owner follow the stipulated
process. This program ensures that these existing in-
law units will be safe and habitable for renters. Created in 2013 through a city ordinance, the Mandatory
Soft Story Retrofit Program is a multi-year community-
based effort enforced by DBI to ensure the safety and
resilience of San Francisco’s housing stock. It requires
property owners to retrofit older, wood-framed, multi-
family buildings with a soft-story condition that puts it
at risk of collapse. In Review In Review
199 permits filed to date
33 permits issued
3
completed work
14
157 permits submitted
102 permits issued
41 completed work
Department of Building Inspection, Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Annual Report
The ordinance applies to wood-frame buildings of
three or more stories or two stories over a basement or
underfloor area that have any portion extending above
grade, and containing five or more residential dwelling
units where the permit to construct was applied for
prior to January 1, 1978, and where the building has
not yet been seismically strengthened.
In Review
127 permits submitted
336 permits issued
482 completed work
This program strives to provide greater transparency
of the seismic safety of private school buildings. Under
State law, existing private schools are not required to
meet the same rigorous safety requirements as public
schools.
In Review
108 scope reports received
9 scope evaluations received
All scope evaluations due on 11/2/2017
Department of Building Inspection, Fiscal Year 2015-2016 Annual Report
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