September 30, 2024
Mike Nemeth
CAA Marketing and Communications Director
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday, Sept. 28, signed a bill that extends the deadline for the initial inspections of balconies and other exterior elevated elements in multifamily buildings.
AB 2579 by Assembly woman Sharon Quirk-Silva, D-Fullerton, moves the deadline from Jan. 1, 2025, to Jan. 1, 2026, giving property owners additional time to comply with California’s balcony inspection law. Newsom approved the extension two days before his deadline to sign or veto bills passed in the legislative session.
The initial inspection law (SB 721), which was enacted in response to a 2015 balcony collapse in Berkeley that killed six people, requires regular inspections of exterior elevated elements, such as balconies and decks, especially those constructed primarily of wood or wood-based products. Buildings with three or more multifamily units are subject to this requirement. The inspections, which must be carried out by licensed professionals, aim to identify potential safety hazards such as decay, deterioration, or improper alterations.
AB 2579 pushes the deadline for the initial round of inspections to January 2026 and maintains that no new inspection is required until that date if the property was inspected within three years prior to Jan. 1, 2019. Inspections are required every six years thereafter.
Failure to comply with these inspection requirements can result in daily civil penalties and the placement of a building safety lien on the property. If immediate threats to safety are discovered during an inspection, owners must take emergency action to prevent access and complete necessary repairs.
Local enforcement agencies are tasked with overseeing compliance with these regulations, and property owners are responsible for maintaining inspection reports and addressing any required repairs.
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