Commercial Construction Near Me

A 2018 balcony collapse tragedy in Berkeley that killed 6 people led to the debate surrounding balcony safety, as well as the general safety of Exterior Elevated Elements, or EEEs, throughout the state of California. It was clear that there was a need for structural improvements in many multifamily dwellings, so this debate prompted legislation that puts inspection requirements in place to find the properties where safety changes need to be made.

New Regulations to Promote Safety

In 2020, SB 721 was passed, which required the inspection of EEEs. SB 721 applies to buildings with three or more multifamily dwellings and initially was supposed to include a much broader range of properties in its scope. At the last minute, condos, community association buildings, and common interest developments were removed from the list of required inspection sites before SB 721 was signed into law.

On August 30th, 2021, the Senate passed SB 326, otherwise known as The Balcony Bill. The law went, into effect in January 2022, which virtually closed the gap left by SB 721. SB 326 applies to over 52,000 common interest developments, which adds up to over 6 million individual units in California. While these new regulations aim to make balconies and Exterior Elevated Elements safer for individuals living in apartments, condos, and multifamily housing, they also make it necessary for property owners to take action to make sure their buildings are up to the state’s safety standards.

Consumer Protection & the Potential Legal Impact

The second part of SB 326 focuses on consumer protection and gives associations in projects less than 10 years old the power to engage the builder or developer in claims for defective construction. Previously, these claims have been prohibited by documents drafted by developers that state that a claim must be passed by a super-majority (66%) vote of that development’s HOA (Homeowner’s Association) in order to start legal proceedings. These documents are no longer allowed to enforce any limitations to the board’s ability to start legal proceedings against developers or builders. This is definitely something that property owners and developers should consider when trying to cut corners on new developments.

Greython Construction is a national construction management and general construction firm that specializes in building envelope retrofit and repairs and has been assisting multi-family residential owners to become compliant with these new SB326 protocols.

Greython Construction specializes in construction management and acts as a general contractor for multi-to-residential, hospitality, residential, restaurant, industrial, and Commercial Construction Near Me In Los Angeles projects.

Content Source: https://greython.com/the-inspection-bill-all-california-multifamily-property-owners-should-be-aware-of/