The Key to Safe, Sustainable Building

Know the Ins and Outs of the San Francisco Building Code​​

San Francisco, a city known for its iconic skyline and its proximity to active seismic zones, has long been at the forefront of earthquake safety initiatives. The city’s Concrete Building Safety Program (CBSP), part of the broader Earthquake Safety Implementation Program (ESIP), is an essential initiative aimed at safeguarding the city’s infrastructure from seismic risks. This program focuses on evaluating and retrofitting concrete buildings, particularly those constructed with non-ductile concrete, a material prone to catastrophic failure during earthquakes.

In this blog post, we will dive into the San Francisco building code, explore the building safety inspection program, and outline the building owner’s responsibilities within the CBSP. We’ll also explain the structural safety requirements and how these efforts contribute to a safer, more resilient city. For building owners, understanding the scope and requirements of this program is essential for complying with city regulations and ensuring the safety of residents and tenants.

What is the San Francisco Concrete Building Safety Program (CBSP)?

The San Francisco Concrete Building Safety Program (CBSP) is a proactive city initiative designed to evaluate and mitigate the seismic risks posed by concrete buildings. The program targets buildings constructed with non-ductile concrete, which lacks the ability to deform under stress without failing, making it particularly vulnerable during an earthquake.

As part of San Francisco’s Earthquake Safety Implementation Program (ESIP), the CBSP plays a pivotal role in the city’s long-term strategy to enhance the seismic resilience of its infrastructure. The ESIP is a 30-year plan aimed at improving the safety of buildings, infrastructure, and critical facilities to ensure quicker recovery and reduced economic loss in the event of an earthquake.

The focus of the CBSP is on buildings with rigid-wall-flexible-diaphragm designs (often referred to as “tilt-ups”). These structures are particularly susceptible to seismic activity because of the way their walls and diaphragms interact during an earthquake. By identifying these buildings and retrofitting them, the program aims to protect lives, preserve housing, and ensure the rapid recovery of San Francisco’s economy after a seismic event.

The Role of San Francisco’s Building Code in the CBSP

The San Francisco building code serves as the foundation for the CBSP. It provides the structural safety requirements that building owners must follow when retrofitting buildings in the city. These requirements include seismic safety standards that are designed to minimize the risk of collapse and damage during an earthquake.

The San Francisco building code has undergone several updates to address the unique seismic risks posed by the region’s geography. For example, the code now includes more stringent structural safety requirements for buildings that use non-ductile concrete and other materials that may not perform well in the event of a major earthquake.

One of the critical aspects of the CBSP is its emphasis on building and safety code enforcement. The city’s Department of Building Inspection (DBI) is responsible for overseeing compliance with these standards, ensuring that all buildings, especially those at risk, undergo thorough safety inspections and voluntary retrofits to meet modern standards.

In April 2025, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously passed legislation mandating seismic safety screenings for approximately 4,000 concrete buildings. This ordinance requires owners of non-ductile concrete and tilt-up structures to hire licensed structural engineers to assess their buildings’ seismic vulnerabilities. While the current ordinance focuses on assessment rather than mandatory retrofitting, it introduces voluntary retrofit standards for early adopters.

The Long-Term Benefits of the CBSP

The San Francisco Concrete Building Safety Program is part of a larger initiative to improve the city’s resilience to earthquakes. By identifying vulnerable buildings and addressing their seismic risks, the program offers several long-term benefits, including:

• Protecting Lives: The primary goal of the CBSP is to reduce the risk of injury or death in the event of a major earthquake by ensuring that buildings are structurally sound.
• Preserving Housing and Critical Facilities: By voluntarily retrofitting vulnerable buildings, the city can preserve much-needed housing and ensure that critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and emergency response centers, remain operational during a disaster.
• Safeguarding the Economy: Earthquakes can cause significant damage to buildings, infrastructure, and businesses. By improving the seismic resilience of buildings, the CBSP helps protect the city’s economy from the long-term effects of disaster-related damage.
• Faster Recovery: Well-designed retrofitting can speed up recovery efforts after an earthquake, allowing residents and businesses to return to normalcy more quickly.

Conclusion

San Francisco’s Concrete Building Safety Program is an essential initiative that addresses the unique seismic risks posed by non-ductile concrete buildings. Through comprehensive inspections, voluntary retrofitting, and building and safety code enforcement, the city is working to ensure that its infrastructure is resilient and prepared for a major earthquake. 

For building owners, understanding your responsibilities and complying with the San Francisco building code is key to ensuring the safety of your property and its occupants. By participating in the CBSP, building owners play a critical role in making San Francisco a safer, more resilient city.

At Stone and Stryder, LLC, we guide building owners through the complexities of San Francisco’s Concrete Building Safety Program and ensure compliance with San Francisco building code. With over 25 years of experience in construction project management, our team provides reliable support in identifying vulnerable buildings, planning retrofitting solutions, providing concise budgets for retrofitting (including tenant relocation costs)and navigating the building safety inspection program. We understand the critical nature of structural safety requirements and are committed to helping our clients make their properties more resilient to seismic events. Trust us to provide reliable, efficient solutions that meet both regulatory standards and your long-term safety goals.