Is my Seattle building subject to the URM Soft-Story retrofit mandate?
Answered by AskBaily Editorial · Updated
Short answer
Seattle inventoried ~1,100 unreinforced-masonry (URM) buildings under Ordinance 126865 — typically pre-1950 brick-veneer commercial, mixed-use, or multi-family structures. The program phases retrofit compliance based on building class (Tier I / II / III) and tier-specific occupancy. Non-compliant URM buildings face escalating compliance risk; substantial renovation inside a URM triggers parallel retrofit obligations.
In detail
Seattle inventoried ~1,100 unreinforced-masonry (URM) buildings under Ordinance 126865 — typically pre-1950 brick-veneer commercial, mixed-use, or multi-family structures. The program phases retrofit compliance based on building class (Tier I / II / III) and tier-specific occupancy. Non-compliant URM buildings face escalating compliance risk; substantial renovation inside a URM triggers parallel retrofit obligations.
This answer is part of AskBaily's seattle regulatory knowledge base. For deeper context — including current code-section references, agency contact details, and recent policy changes — see the [seattle city hub](/seattle) or [the /ask hub](/ask) for related questions.
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