Group 1
Pre-1978, 5+ units
- Screening due
- Oct 1, 2028
- Retrofit complete
- Apr 1, 2032
Deadline October 1, 2028
San Jose Soft Story Retrofit.
PE-stamped screening from $1,495.
The San Jose Mandatory Seismic Retrofit Ordinance requires wood-frame multifamily buildings with three or more units, built before 1990, to submit a soft story screening to the City by October 1, 2028. If a target story is identified, retrofit design and construction follow on a group-based timeline. One California PE handles the full path — screening, evaluation, and retrofit design.
Tuck-under · Soft-story scope
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Oct 1, 2028City screening deadline
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From $1,495Fixed engineering fee
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PE-stampedSigned by a California PE
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~3,500Subject buildings citywide
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1 business dayResponse to inquiry
60-second check
Does the ordinance apply to your building?
Three questions. Not a substitute for a PE determination, but enough to know whether to schedule one.
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01 Was the building built before January 1, 1990?
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02 Is the building wood-frame construction?
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03 Does it have three or more dwelling units?
Your building is likely subject to the ordinance.
Schedule a screening. We will perform the site visit, complete the City form, and submit the package on a clear schedule confirmed at engagement.
Schedule screeningYou may be exempt.
One of your answers takes the building outside the ordinance. We can confirm in a 15-minute call, signed in writing.
Request a written exemption confirmationWhat it includes
One engagement, one signed deliverable.
The screening is a structural walkthrough of the building by a California PE. The engineer reviews the first story against the ordinance's target story definition under CEBC Appendix Chapter A4 and the City's wood-frame criteria. The walkthrough takes one to two hours, depending on size and access.
Back at the desk, the engineer makes the applicability determination, completes the City screening form, signs and stamps the document, and assembles an electronic submittal package. The owner receives the package on a clear schedule confirmed at engagement, ready to file with Planning, Building and Code Enforcement.
If the screening indicates that a retrofit is required, the design phase is ready. Same engineer, no handoff.
Deadlines
Screening is the same for everyone. Retrofit is grouped.
Screening submission is due by October 1, 2028 for every subject building. Retrofit completion deadlines vary by group, per the amended City schedule.
Group 2
1978 to 1990, 5+ units
- Screening due
- Oct 1, 2028
- Retrofit complete
- Apr 1, 2033
Group 3
Pre-1990, 3+ units
- Screening due
- Oct 1, 2028
- Retrofit complete
- Apr 1, 2034
Authority: San José Municipal Code §17.41.550 (Ordinance 31123, adopted September 24, 2024), as amended by Ordinance 31180 and the March 17, 2026 council amendment setting the effective date at April 1, 2027. The City program office confirmed the schedule in writing in August 2026: effective April 1, 2027, screening due October 1, 2028. The City's screening portal is live and accepting forms now. Older dates still appear in some published materials, including the City's own page. We verify current deadlines with the program office before every filing.
Why H2
An engineer's report, not a contractor's estimate.
01
Same PE Throughout
The engineer who performs the screening signs the form. No handoff, no second-tier reviewer.
02
PhD-Level Expertise
Doctoral research in seismic structural behavior anchors the determination. Judgment, not box-ticking.
03
Fixed Fee, No Discovery Games
$1,495 per building, flat. The number on the engagement letter is the number on the invoice.
04
Clear Schedule, Up Front
Site visit and signed, submitted screening package on a schedule confirmed at engagement. Expedited delivery available under enforcement pressure.
Pricing
One price. One deadline. One signature.
Soft Story Screening
$1,495 per building, flat.
- Structural site visit by a California PE.
- Ordinance applicability review (CEBC Appendix Chapter A4, wood-frame target story).
- PE-stamped screening form, ready to file with the City.
- Electronic submittal package delivered to the owner on a confirmed schedule.
Detailed evaluation (FEMA P-807) and retrofit design are priced separately if the screening indicates a retrofit is required.
State grant · Registration closes September 30, 2026
Buildings with 5 to 10 units may register for the California Residential Mitigation Program's Earthquake Mitigation Rebate: up to $7,000 toward engineering and $4,260 per unit toward construction. Registration is open through September 30, 2026.
FAQ
Common questions.
The licensed PE who would run your screening answers the inbox. If your situation is unusual, send it via the form.
Who must submit a screening?
Owners of wood-frame buildings in San Jose with three or more dwelling units, built before January 1, 1990, that contain a soft, weak, or open-front first story. The City estimates roughly 3,500 buildings citywide fall under the ordinance. Screening submissions are due to the City by October 1, 2028.
What is a wood-frame target story?
A target story is the first story of the building when that story is significantly weaker or more flexible than the floors above. Typical configurations include tuck-under parking, ground-floor commercial frontage, or large window or door openings without enough shear wall. The City references CEBC Appendix Chapter A4 for the technical definition; the screening determines whether your first story meets it.
Can the owner self-submit instead of hiring an engineer?
The City requires the screening to be performed and signed by a licensed engineer. The owner cannot self-submit a completed screening, though the owner files the form with the City after the engineer signs it. We perform the screening, sign, and submit the package electronically on the owner's behalf.
Does the City charge a screening fee?
The City may charge a nominal processing fee for the screening submittal. That fee is separate from the engineering fee and is paid directly to the City of San Jose. Confirm current City fees with Planning, Building and Code Enforcement before filing.
What if my building fails screening?
If the screening identifies your first story as a soft, weak, or open-front condition, the ordinance requires retrofit by your group's completion deadline. Pre-1978 buildings with 5 or more units must complete retrofit by April 1, 2032. 1978 to 1990 buildings with 5 or more units by April 1, 2033. Pre-1990 buildings with 3 or more units by April 1, 2034. Retrofit design is a separate engagement; we can carry the project directly from screening to design.
Can screening exempt my building from retrofit?
Yes. The screening can determine that your building has no target story under the ordinance, in which case no retrofit is required. The signed screening form is the documentation of that determination, and it satisfies your obligation under the ordinance.
What is the difference between screening and retrofit?
Screening is the determination step. It asks: is this building subject to the ordinance, and if so, does it have a target story that triggers a retrofit. The deliverable is a signed form. Retrofit is the design and construction step. It produces stamped structural drawings, calculations, permits, and physical work on the building. Screening is fast and fixed-fee. Retrofit is scoped to the building.
Am I eligible for the City's FEMA rebate program?
San Jose secured federal Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding through FEMA to partially offset the cost of soft story retrofits for qualifying owners. Program details, eligibility, and application timing are managed by the City and are still being rolled out. We recommend checking the City of San José Soft Story Retrofit page directly before counting on a specific rebate amount in your underwriting.
Does H2 handle the retrofit if it is required?
Yes. If the screening indicates retrofit, the same engineer who performed the screening carries the project forward into evaluation (FEMA P-807) and retrofit design. No handoff. Retrofit design is priced separately based on building size and complexity.
What happens if I miss the October 1, 2028 deadline?
Missing the screening deadline puts the building in non-compliance with the ordinance. The City's enforcement posture, fines, and recorded notices are determined by Planning, Building and Code Enforcement. Owners with overdue notices should still submit a screening as soon as possible. Submitted screenings are typically the fastest path back to compliance, and we file expedited engagements for owners under enforcement pressure.
Schedule a screening
Send the address. Get a signed PE-stamped report on a clear schedule.
Free 15-minute scoping call with the licensed PE who would perform your screening. Written engagement letter within one business day.
- Office
- Dublin, CA 94568
- Phone
- (510) 288-9352
- Hours
- Mon–Fri · 8:00am–5:00pm PT
- Response
- Within one business day