Might a Collapse Occur in San Francisco?

E.Early Thursday morning, a residential home in Surfside, Florida tragically collapsed, killing at least four residents and missing over 150 people.

The Champlain Towers South condominium was a 12 story apartment building that was about 40 years old and located near the water. San Francisco has several buildings of similar sizes and ages – with a number of inhabited buildings well over 100 years old, built after the 1906 earthquake. And all of them are in similar proximity to the bay.

That asks for ite Troubling question: could a similar breakdown happen here? And if so, what can citizens do to prevent such a tragedy?

[San Francisco’s] Building codes include provisions for waterproofing parts of buildings to protect them from the type of corrosion that may have been a factor in the Florida tragedy.

To be clear, the causes of Surfside’s collapse are still unknown; However, engineers sounded the alarm back in 2018 and found certain structural damage.

But several factors may have been at play, according to New York Times reports. Champlain Towers should be examined for corrosion, which could possibly have been a factor in the collapse due to the building’s oceanfront location. (The NYT also cited possible unauthorized construction projects as a possible cause of the collapse.)

To learn how these factors come into play in San Francisco, I spoke to a local expert. They asked to remain anonymous, referring to the evolving nature of the tragic collapse in Florida.

More than ten inspectors are specially assigned to San Francisco homes, with a particular focus on buildings that house vulnerable populations.

To start with, the good news.

Corrosion can happen anywhere, but the said expert told me that the environment in Florida and the Bay Area is very different. The high humidity in Florida makes corrosion a bigger problem there. Despite the nickname of San Francisco as the “City by the Bay” – and the fact that many of our buildings are near the water – the risk of corrosion is probably lower here than in cities on the east coast with higher humidity.

The expert also said our building codes include provisions to seal parts of buildings to protect them from the type of corrosion that could be a contributing factor to the Florida tragedy.

However, the expert said that we still have our own dangers here – namely earthquakes and other seismic problems. This is one of the reasons our building codes have to be very robust and have been carefully developed over time.

There must be no unauthorized construction in San Francisco.

The expert I spoke to also said that there is nothing in the San Francisco Building Code that doesn’t have to be there; everything is designed to keep buildings safe even in the event of an earthquake. They compared the code to the instruction manual required to fly an airplane safely – it’s dense and complex, but every part is in it based on an anticipated hazard or a lesson from real-life events.

Of course, that’s not a guarantee that people will actually follow the code.

One of the possible causes of the Florida collapse is “unauthorized remodeling,” according to the NYT, “which could result in someone removing a load-bearing support.” Essentially, an unscrupulous contractor or unsuspecting handyman could have mistakenly weakened the building by improperly repairing it, either causing the collapse or increasing the risk of it occurring.

The source I interviewed told me that the San Francisco authorities are very vigorous in finding and correcting code violations. They added that there should be no unauthorized construction in the city. More than ten inspectors are specifically designated for apartment buildings, with particular attention being paid to buildings that house vulnerable populations.

When a new building is constructed, city officials are involved in every step of the process, going as far as to measure the strength of concrete and other building materials as they are poured. This can lead to massive building permit costs in the city (up to 18% of a project), but should add to safety.

This is especially important as many buildings in San Francisco are built right to the sidewalk with no kickback, my source said. If a part of the building falls, a passerby can be injured, even if the residents of the building are unharmed. Because of this, the city needs to pay special attention to structural problems and small break-ins that may be less of a problem elsewhere, where there is a larger buffer zone between buildings and streets.

It is never possible to avoid all construction problems. But well-designed codes, environmental factors, and proactive citizen reporting of problems can all help keep the San Francisco building as safe as possible.

For older buildings – including those of a similar age to Champlain Towers South – enforcement in San Francisco relies heavily on reporting violations from residents and other citizens. The city investigates all reports of possible violations of the law, inadmissible construction work or structural damage, with the main aim of ensuring the structural safety of the city’s buildings.

That is important and strengthens. My source said the San Franciscans can do two things to increase the security of the city’s buildings and prevent tragedies like the one in Florida.

First, anyone considering a home renovation project should be careful to work with licensed contractors who don’t compromise. When a contractor offers to save you some money by running an unlicensed project – or not reporting a problem – say no. Yes, renovations in the Bay Area can be incredibly expensive. But since even minor renovations can damage a building and put all residents of the building at risk if done incorrectly, it is important to use conscientious contractors and not to compromise.

My source also said local residents should report any concerns about a building directly to the city’s building inspectorate.

Noticeable signs of damage are cracks in the structural elements of a building (floors, walls, pillars, etc.) or signs of water damage (which can be a precursor to corrosion). Residents should also report potentially unauthorized construction work.

My source emphasized that city officials are rarely out to punish people for violations, so citizens shouldn’t feel guilty when filing a report on a potential problem. Fines can be imposed, but my source said the city’s engineers are primarily concerned with making sure the city’s buildings are safe. When a project can be put into code, the city often works with residents to make sure it does. And even if building damage turns out to be minor or unsustainable, it is always better to report a concern than to risk a collapse or other problem.

The thoughts of the Bold Italic are with those who lost loved ones in the Florida tragedy, as well as the rescue workers who work tirelessly to rescue survivors. We hope that a full investigation will uncover the cause of the Florida collapse so that no one else is killed in a similar tragic event.

It is never possible to avoid all construction problems. But well-designed codes, environmental factors, and proactive citizen reporting of problems can all help keep the San Francisco building as safe as possible.