Building Connections Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections

Building Connections

Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections news and events

Building Momentum to Fix the Bricks: Working Groups Established to Support Mandatory Unreinforced Masonry Retrofit Ordinance

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The City of Seattle is moving forward with the process to require the earthquake retrofit of its 1100 unreinforced masonry buildings (URMs) which are prone to collapse in an earthquake. In 2021, City Council passed Resolution 32033 declaring the intent to develop a mandatory earthquake retrofit ordinance with a resource program to support URM building owners and tenants.

On January 12, the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) and the Office of Emergency Management (OEM), in partnership with the Alliance for Safety, Affordability, and Preservation (ASAP!), hosted a meeting to discuss the timeline and next steps needed to be successful in ordinance adoption.

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.

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.

Thanks for Attending the SDCI Home Fairs

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A huge thank you to everyone who attended SDCI’s North and South Seattle Home Fairs! We were able to answer questions for over 300 people. Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord, renter, or potential homeowner, we hope that you learned something new and connected with our department and community. We’re grateful to have been joined by a variety of organizations, including Seattle Public Utilities, RainWise, Rebuilding Together Seattle, Habitat for Humanity, City Light, and Department of Neighborhoods to help us answer all your questions.

Don’t Miss SDCI’s North and South Seattle Home Fairs

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Start 2019 off right by getting a jump-start on your home improvement project! Whether you’re a homeowner, landlord, renter or potential homeowner, one of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections Home Fairs will have something for you!

Learn about Earthquake Home Retrofits, Landslide Preparedness and Awareness, and Backyard Cottages with three focused presentations covering each of these important topics.

Ask us about our permitting process, inspections, and codes requirements. Do you rent, or are you a landlord? Come learn 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 so much more!

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!

Earthquake Home Retrofit Seminar

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Washington Association of Building Officials (WABO) will sponsor an earthquake home retrofit seminar, on May 14, for builders and contractors. Earthquake home retrofit training provides a consistent, approved approach to the seismic retrofit of older, wood-frame, single-family homes.