Build With Strength Applauds Los Angeles City Officials' Move Toward Safer Building Construction

The Los Angeles City Council has moved toward passing an ordinance that would enact safer building practices, reports Build With Strength (BWS). A number of BWS coalition members in Los Angeles testified in support of the ordinance at hearings held earlier this year, including The Los Angeles Urban League, The Los Angeles Building Trades Council, The Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California, The California Conference of Carpenters, Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County and the National Latino Evangelical Coalition.

“It was an honor to stand alongside members of Build With Strength and the local Los Angeles
community at today’s meeting with the Council,” said Michael Lawson, CEO of the Los Angeles Urban
League, after one such hearing. “The communities that we represent are at risk for fire and disaster, so passing this ordinance would have a tremendously positive impact on their well-being and safety. I trust and hope that the City Council will do what is right and see this ordinance to its passage.”

There are already measures in the city of Los Angeles that address increased fire risk in densely
populated communities through the city’s building code and Fire District 1. This code dictates that
developers and construction crews use enhanced fire protections and fire-resistant materials during the
building process. However, Fire District 1 only covers a small percentage of the City. A motion before officials calls for expanding Fire District 1 to include all areas within the city covered by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Very High Fire Severity Zone and City’s High Wind Velocity Zone as well as high density population centers with a population density of at least 5,000 residents per square mile. Other provisions include:

• Update Fire District 1 to reflect population growth based on the U.S. Census;
• Present an ordinance to require a Fire Protection Plan, as allowed under Chapter 33 of the Los
Angeles Fire Code, for all new and significantly altered projects over 150,000 square feet and/or
100,000 square feet if the building is over 30’ in height; and
• Make recommendations to ensure proper enforcement.

Build With Strength is a coalition led by NRMCA that promotes resilient concrete construction through communcations, project promotion, education and advocacy efforts such as this. For more information, contact John Loyer at jloyer@nrmca.org.