We wanted to take the time to give you an important update that recently came out of the California legislature. In September 2024, the legislature passed an amendment to SB 721, which is commonly referred to as the Apartment Balcony Inspection Law. The amendment (AB 2579) was signed into law on September 28, 2024 and amends Section 17973 of the Health and Safety Code. Essentially, it extends the deadline to have apartment balconies and other exterior elevated elements (EEE) inspected by one year. The new deadline for apartment balcony inspections in California is January 1, 2026. As of this writing, the inspection deadline for a similar law (SB 326), which applies to balcony and EEE inspections for condo complexes has not been extended.
In case this is the first time you’re hearing about this law, here are the basics:
- The law applies to all multi-family dwellings in California with three or more units.
- It requires that at least 15% of each type of EEE (balconies, decks, porches, stairways, walkways, and entryways) be inspected.
- Qualified inspectors include architects, civil or structural engineers, certified building inspectors, and contractors with at least five years of experience who have an “A,” “B,” or “C-5” license from the CSLB.
- An inspection report must be completed and filed with the local enforcement agency within 15 days of the inspection.
- If non-emergency repairs are needed, a permit must be applied for within 120 days of the report’s submission. Once the permit is granted, the corrective work must be completed within 120 days.
The extension to SB 721 is sure to be welcome news to apartment complex owners who have yet to have their inspections completed—or even to schedule the balcony inspections. But if that’s you, don’t let this extension be an excuse to procrastinate! As the new deadline gets closer, we anticipate that there will be a rush to get on the schedules of qualified inspectors. And while there are plenty of people in Orange County and Los Angeles who technically qualify to be inspectors according to the law, there are not that many who are actually offering their services as inspectors for this purpose. Therefore, it may be difficult to schedule the necessary inspections as the deadline gets closer, and you may find yourself having to pay rush fees to meet the deadline.
At DTS, we have a team of qualified inspectors who can come to your apartment complex(es) in Orange County and Los Angeles County and inspect the exterior elevated elements, inform you of any repairs that need to be made, and produce the report that the law requires. If repairs are needed, we also have a network of reputable general contractors in Orange County and Los Angeles County who can complete them (if you don’t currently have a licensed general contractor you trust). All repairs must be completed by a licensed contractor and be in compliance with subdivision (d) of Section 17922 of the Health and Safety Code, as well as any other local requirements.
To learn more about SB 721, you can refer to this previous blog post, where we went into great detail about the law and its requirements for apartment complex owners. If you have any further questions or want to schedule your apartment balcony inspections in Orange County and/or Los Angeles, contact us at DTS.