This session will discuss current regional jurisdictional mandatory assessments. Engineers with experience completing these mandatory assessment regulations and ordinances in Florida, New York, Chicago, California, and other regions will discuss requirements for the assessment and reporting. Challenges, limitations, and case studies will be presented for current mandatory assessments. ACI 364, Guide to Assessment Prior to Rehabilitation, currently undergoing revision, will also be presented as a resource for these assessments, in addition to other ACI documents. In addition, discussion regarding changes to or development of other regional mandatory assessment regulations and ordinances will be discussed.
Learning Objectives:
(1) Understand some of the existing regional mandatory assessment regulations and ordinances for buildings;
(2) Discuss challenges and limitations with completing a mandatory assessment as required;
(3) Discuss various resources available by ACI regarding assessments;
(4) Discuss changes to or development of additional mandatory assessment regulations and ordinances.
Age-Based Structural Inspections in Florida: Why Age Doesn't Define Safety
Presented By: Matthew Fadden
Affiliation: Walter P Moore
Description: Florida's legislative response to the Champlain Towers South collapse through SB 4-D (2022), SB 154 (2023), and HB 913 (2025) established statewide structural recertification requirements (age-based inspections) for condominium and cooperative buildings three stories or higher. Modeled on Miami-Dade and Broward County programs, the mandate requires visual inspections focused on observable distress. While this approach provides baseline assessments, it does not identify latent design or construction deficiencies without visible manifestation. As a result, no one should not interpret compliance as a guarantee of safety, nor should they view non-compliance as implying reduced safety.
The inspection framework often blends structural repairs, which restore load-carrying capacity, with maintenance activities such as concrete restoration and waterproofing. This presentation examines the dual challenge of identifying genuine structural deficiencies while protecting building owners. Notably, A recent study by Bridge et al. (2025) found that approximately one-quarter of buildings in earlier 40-year inspection programs required some form of repair. Case studies reveal that engineers can overlook or conflate structural concerns. This issue is compounded when engineers and local governments mandate maintenance work regardless of owner priorities or individual building circumstances.
This presentation provides guidance on applying logical analysis and critical thinking to age-based inspections. The discussion demonstrates how engineers can provide options that acknowledge diverse owner objectives. Ultimately, the continuation or expansion of age-based assessment programs depends on rational, evidence based engineering research that validates their effectiveness.
Lessons Learned from California Deck and Balcony Inspections
Presented By: Kelly Cobeen
Affiliation: Wiss Janney Elstner Associates
Description: Following collapses of a balcony and an entry stair in northern California apartment complexes in 2015, the state of California passed two senate bills requiring statewide inspection of exterior elevated elements including balconies, decks, entry stairs, breezeways and similar elements in multi-family residential buildings. This included separate and distinct bills and inspection requirements for what might be identical buildings based on ownership (SB 721 for apartment buildings and SB 326 for condominium buildings). January 1, 2026 was the deadline for completion of the first state required inspections; this first round has represented a very significant financial investment by building owners and has provided opportunities for lessons learned for design professionals involved. Meanwhile, City of San Francisco had similar inspection requirements that had been in place since 2013 and City of Berkeley put in place similar requirements in 2016 prior to the development of state requirements. This presentation will discuss implementation issues and lessons learned, highlighting both common aspects of the inspection programs and their differences. Some areas where lessons have been learned include: objectives of the inspections, quantity of inspections, elements to be inspected, uncovering of hidden conditions, qualifications for inspectors and repair, reporting and permit requirements, and measures to ensure implementation.
Chicago Facade Ordinance
Presented By: Rhocel Bon
Affiliation: Klein & Hoffman
Description: The origin of the Chicago Façade Ordinance can be traced back to the late 1970’s when in response to a series of events the nation’s first municipal ordinance mandating periodic inspections of building exteriors was adopted. Unfortunately, that ordinance was repealed. In 1996 a new Façade Ordinance was adopted in response to a series of incidents that took place two years earlier. Responding to yet another series of events that took place in 1999 and 2000, the 1996 Ordinance was strengthened to mandate more rigorous review and maintenance of Chicago high-rise building facades. There has been additional modifications to the Ordinance since. Applicable to buildings over 80 feet in height, the ordinance mandates periodic inspections of exterior walls and appurtenances to prevent hazards posed by deteriorating facades. Building Owners must engage a licensed architect or structural engineer to perform periodic visual examinations and, when necessary, hands-on inspections at prescribed intervals (every 4, 8 or 12 years depending on how the exterior facades are affixed to the building). Reports must be submitted to the Chicago Department of Buildings, categorizing the condition of the facades as “Safe,” “Safe with Repair and Maintenance Program,” or “Unsafe and Imminently Hazardous.” Non-compliance can result in significant daily penalties and emergency repair orders. The ordinance emphasizes proactive maintenance, addressing issues such as cracked masonry and glass, displacing cladding, and corrosion of structural elements, which can lead to public safety risks.
Recent Experiences with LL126 – The New York City Parking Structure Inspection Ordinance
Presented By: Keith Kesner
Affiliation: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger, Inc.
Description: New York City Local Law 126 (LL126), adopted in 2021 by the City of New York, mandates the periodic inspections of parking structures in the city to assess their condition and identify required repairs. LL126 was adopted after New York State implemented a similar ordinance in 2018 because of parking structure collapses. All parking structures are to be inspected by licensed design professionals with specific experience in evaluating parking structures (termed a Qualified Parking Structure Inspector or QPSI), which is confirmed through a qualification process conducted by the New York City Department of Buildings (NYCDOB). LL 126 requires that all observed conditions be classified as safe, safe with repairs or engineering monitoring (SREM), or unsafe, and specifies the requirements for reporting these conditions to the NYCDOB. A final condition assessment report is to be submitted to the NYCDOB, which must also include an annual observation checklist to be completed yearly by a QPSI. The presentation will describe the author’s experiences with LL126 and offer an opinion on how well the ordinance is helping the NYCDOB promote routine maintenance of parking structures to prevent unsafe conditions.
Panel Discussion - Regional Mandatory Building Assessments: Impacts, Implementation, and Industry Lessons
Presented By: Ann Harrer
Affiliation: Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc.
Description: During this moderated panel discussion, the four speakers from the session speaking on NYC Local Law 176 (parking garage law), Florida Milestone Assessments, California's SB721 and SB326, and the Chicago Facade Ordinance will be joined by representatives of the City of Chicago Department of Buildings to discuss the implementation of regional mandatory safety assessments, the impacts on the engineering and architecture professionals as well as building owners, and lessons learned. In addition, discussion on the public safety related to these assessments and how they are perceived as successful - or not.