House Bill 1810, to identify and incentivize earthquake retrofits of Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings, has been introduced to the Appropriations Committee for consideration. Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings, classic red brick buildings of common construction prior to World War II, are at risk of collapse in an earthquake due to their lack of reinforcing steel and inadequate connections. A full or partial collapse of these structures is significantly reduced by conducting seismic retrofits, bracing parapets, and strengthening connections between the floors, walls, and roof. If funded, this bill will complete the process to identify Unreinforced Masonry (URM) buildings across the state and recommend financial incentives for the owners of these buildings to complete these life-saving retrofits.
The state began to inventory its URMs in 2017. This inventory is a collaborative effort between the Department of Commerce and the Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP). This pilot effort reviewed existing data sources to identify suspected URMs. The state reviewed data that included Sanborn Insurance maps, the Washington Information System for Architectural and Archeological Records Data (WISAARD), and Main Street community data. In recent years, the state Emergency Management Division of the Washington military department has used FEMA grant funding to support Everett and Tacoma in verifying the research and developing complete URM inventories. As of 2018, the state identified more than 3,000 suspected URMs. Upon completion of the inventory, DAHP suggests there could be as many as 33,000. House Bill 1810 will fund the Emergency Management Division to complete the state’s inventory of suspected URMs and validate those that are confirmed to be URM construction. The state will store and maintain the data in collaboration with DAHP and their WISAARD database.
Identifying URMs is only the first step to improve our earthquake readiness. URM buildings owners must complete earthquake retrofits to reduce the probability of collapse. These retrofits are expensive, costing an estimated $45 to $155 per square foot. Repeated attempts by the City of Seattle to mandate retrofits have been unsuccessful due to pushback from building owners citing the economic unviability of these projects. A multi-agency collaborative effort, facilitated by the state Seismic Safety Subcommittee, developed the proposed scope for a study on financial incentives that could be extended to URM building owners. If funded, House Bill 1810 will provide funding to the Department of Commerce to conduct the proposed study on financial incentives and develop a report with policy recommendations to legislature by September 1, 2026.
The development of House Bill 1810 was a collaborative effort between the City of Seattle, Representative Cindy Ryu, Representative Brandy Donaghy, the Emergency Management Division of the Washington military department, the Department of Commerce, and the Building Owner and Management Association. Consider reaching out to your state representative to express support of House Bill 1810. You can find your district by using the district finder feature on the Washington State Legislature website.