Building Connections Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections

Building Connections

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections news and events

Fixing the Bricks: Upcoming Presentations of Proposed Minimum Seismic Standards for Unreinforced Masonry Buildings

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After several years of collaborating with seismologists, geologists, and geotechnical and structural engineers, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) is sharing its draft Unreinforced Masonry (URM) Technical Standard. This document is the first step in establishing minimum seismic standards for the earthquake retrofit of Seattle’s 1,100 vintage brick buildings which are prone to collapse in an earthquake due to lack of structural reinforcements.

In 2021, an effort spearheaded by the Alliance for Safety, Affordability, and Preservation (ASAP!) and Councilmember Herbold resulted in the passing of Joint Resolution 32033. That resolution declared the intent of City Council and the Mayor to establish a mandatory retrofit program and directed SDCI to develop a retrofit standard. While a mandatory ordinance is still a few years away, this Technical Standard will serve as a voluntary option for URM owners wanting to retrofit their building. This Technical Standard will be used to develop a future mandatory retrofit ordinance. 

Updated Earthquake Home Retrofit Plan Set

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The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) has updated the prescriptive earthquake home retrofit plan set! We are now using an updated drawing plan set that has been approved by the Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) and uploaded to our website. The same plan set is already being used in several local jurisdictions, including Auburn, Bellevue, and King County. Visit WABO’s website for more home retrofit resources.

May is Building Safety Month

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The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and the City of Seattle are proud to participate in the International Code Council’s annual Building Safety Month campaign this May. This event has been the emphasis of the International Code Council and its predecessors for the past 40 years. The goal and purpose of the International Code Council was to showcase the work and mission of the codes, officials who administer them, and the positive affects the community can receive when they are administered.  There are weekly themes throughout May to educate the public on important issues such as being prepared for a disaster.  The City of Seattle has been and continues to be a major contributor to the development and implementation of all types of codes relevant to the built environment.

Building Safety Month Resources

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The Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections and the City of Seattle are proud to participate in the International Code Council’s annual Building Safety Month campaign this May. This event, created by the International Code Council, has a goal and purpose to showcase the work and mission of the codes, officials who administer them, and the positive effects the codes can have on the community. This page includes resources for each week’s theme.

Don’t Miss the South Seattle Home Fair!

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You’re invited to a South Seattle Home Fair on February 10, 2018, hosted by the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections. Are you planning a remodeling project? Ask us about our permitting process, inspections, and codes requirements. Do you rent, or are you a landlord? Come ask about rental housing rules. We’ll also have information tables about affordable housing, landslide awareness, emergency preparedness, energy rebates, home ownership assistance, weatherization of homes, and much, much more!