Unreinforced Masonry Buildings

UNREINFORCED MASONRY BUILDINGS (URM's) are buildings, usually brick, stone, or early concrete block which are not considered sufficiently strong to resist even a moderate earthquake. By state law, all URM's are required to undergo minimal retrofit, a requirement which is separate from any live/work code requirements or relaxations. The so-called "mandatory measures" required under Oakland's URM ordinance are not usually sufficient to meet the 75% of seismic values that are permitted in JW/LQ live/work: additional work is usually required.