Hardesty Pauses Earthquake Warning Sign Enforcement Program

PORTLAND, OR – Jo Ann Hardesty has been on the Portland City Council for less than one month and is already making her presence felt. On Friday, she directed the Fire Bureau to delay the start of the earthquake warning sign program.

The plan, adopted by last year's city council, requires that the owners of unreinforced masonry buildings hang up signs saying that the building might not be safe if an earthquake.

Enforcement is scheduled to begin on March 1.

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"No one is interested in putting our residents at risk, but we need to look at ways to better support businesses and non-profits in seismically upgrading their buildings," Hardesty says. "A placard is a band-aid for a much larger problem.

"Until we have better support in place, especially in the form of funding assistance for these projects, I want placarding enforcement on hold for businesses and non-profit organizations."

Mayor Ted Wheeler quickly took issue with Hardesty's stance.

"The requirement to put earthquake warning signs is still the law," Wheeler says. "I will continue to work with Commissioner Hardesty and building owners to ensure the safety of all Portlanders."

Hardesty also oversees the Bureau of Emergency Management and has directed them to continue doing outreach and holding work sessions to gather more input.

Soon after the law was passed, many building owners voiced objections, saying that it would decrease the value of their buildings and discourage people from entering, something that the leaders of African-American churches said was particularly troubling.

Portland has more than 1,500 brick buildings that are considered at risk of collapse in a large earthquake.

As a result, the city passed a law requiring those buildings to carry signs saying that, "This is an unreinforced masonry buildings. Unreinforced masonry buildings may be unsafe in the event of a major earthquake."

The signs would have to be at least eight by ten inches and written in a large-sized type.

Officials say that the smarter plan would be to require buildings to be retrofitted but with the cost to many being prohibitive, they see the signs as a good step along the way.

Most property owners will have one year to get the signs up – the city will have to out many up themselves as much city property remains vulnerable – while nonprofits such as churches will have two years to post the signs.

The city maintains an interactive online map that allows you to check if a building is made of unreinforced masonry.

The council is expected to vote on the proposal next week.

Photo via City of Portland.