Report: Thousands Of Angelenos Live In Apartments That Aren't Earthquake-Proof

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — Thousands of Angelenos live in apartments that haven't been earthquake-proofed, according to a new report.

The non-profit organization Crosstown, based out of USC's Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism, studied data from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety.

They discovered that of the more than 12,000 apartment buildings considered at risk of earthquake damage, the owners of only 2,200 of them have hired contractors and have work underway, and 269 haven't done anything at all.

The LA City Council approved an ordinance in 2015 that required older wood-frame buildings to undergo retrofits.

Among the most earthquake-vulnerable structures are so-called "soft story" wood-framed buildings, many of which have second story apartments that hang over covered parking areas on supports that can buckle during temblors.

The Department of Building and Safety is giving owners until 2023 to complete the upgrades.