A birthday party on June 16, 2015, became horrifying when six people were killed and several others injured after a fifth-floor apartment balcony collapsed. The balcony gave way due to severe dry rot in the wooden supports, which had not been properly treated for water damage. Investigators determined that construction defects and possible negligence were the culprits, leading to improved inspection standards for balconies and other outdoor structures.
Under the original law of SB 7210, multifamily buildings with 3 or more units must have met a deadline of January 1, 2025, to be inspected. Namely:
- All balconies, decks, porches, stairways, walkways, hand and guardrails that extend beyond the exterior walls of the building and are elevated 6 or more feet above ground and that rely in whole or substantial part on wood or wood-based products for structural support or stability. What to look for is potential issues related to dry rot, water intrusion, termite damage, and rust.
Yet owners have bought some time with AB 2579, a law that pushes the deadline for the initial round of inspections to January 2026. No inspection is required until that date if the property was inspected within three years prior to January 1, 2019. Just because no issues are identified, buildings can still atrophy over time; inspections are required every six years thereafter.
It's worth noting that certain locales like San Francisco, Berkeley, and Oakland have their own inspection and procedural requirements.
Our advice is to not wait. Get it done now.
Our view has always been that housing providers should not wait until the last minute to comply with the law. An easy example is complying with rent registry requirements and we were proactive in reporting information on properties well before the deadlines to do so. As much as we disagreed with rent registries and Big Brother prying into our businesses, we still had to comply.
This message of early compliance is especially important with balcony inspections because only civil or structural engineers, architects, or qualified contractors can perform the work. These are skilled professionals; now is not the time to hire Johnny the Handyman.
What will happen is that as the deadline approaches, qualified companies will be inundated with jobs. Our clients are always welcome to shop around, but we have vetted several contractors. Our choice is Great Escape Service & Inspections.
