Discussion of FEMA P-807 for the Retrofit of Soft-Story Buildings

The FEMA P-807 (2012) guideline titled Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Multi-Unit Wood-Frame Buildings with Weak First Stories is a new approach for building retrofit. It goes beyond current building codes and standards by quantifying performance in probabilistic terms. This commentary provides an overview of the P-807 approach with emphasis on key aspects that users should be aware. The objectives are to provide design professionals and building officials with a better understanding of the P-807 benefits/limitations as well as important P-807 seismic safety implications that can be discussed with building owners so informed decisions can be made about the best retrofit approach for particular projects.