We mentioned in a previous blog post that Grisafe Architecture is now offering balcony inspections for condo associations in Long Beach so they can be in compliance with the new California law (SB 326). In short, the law requires that condo balconies and other “exterior elevated elements” in condo complexes be inspected every nine years, starting January 1, 2025. (Learn more about SB 326 and how it applies to Long Beach condo associations here.)
As the deadline approaches, there has been a lot of speculation about how this law will actually be enforced. Will there be warnings sent out if the inspections aren’t completed by January 1st? Or will the cities and counties just start sending out fines to condo associations that aren’t in compliance? Presumably, since SB 326 passed more than five years ago—giving condo associations plenty of time to get the inspections done—there won’t be any sort of grace period, but nobody seems to know for sure.
Some people have suggested that the city and county departments in charge of enforcing the law could levy fines for every day a condo association is out of compliance with the law. This could leave condo associations in Long Beach scrambling to find someone willing and available to complete the inspections quickly before the fines drain their bank accounts. Others have implied that cities like Long Beach are already so short staffed that it may take some time for them to get around to enforcing the new law.
If you are on the board of a condo association, or otherwise in charge of making sure the condo balcony inspections happen prior to the deadline, you may feel like you still have plenty of time to get them done. But that deadline is only getting closer every day. We anticipate that the limited number of qualified inspectors are going to get extremely busy at the end of the year—especially considering that a similar law (SB 721) that applies to apartment complex owners will start to be enforced at the same time.
As licensed architects, Grisafe Architecture is able to provide Long Beach condo balcony inspections that fully comply with SB 326. We currently offer quick turnaround times and deliver the required follow-up report in a timely manner. However, if we start to get backed up toward the end of the year, wait times may increase.
Contact our office to schedule your balcony inspection today. We will get you on the schedule as soon as possible so you can have peace of mind, knowing that this compliance issue is taken care of. We are completing balcony inspections throughout Long Beach and the surrounding areas. Our service minimums are $3,000 per condo complex, or $500 per exterior elevated element. If your condo complex is outside of our immediate area, travel and mileage charges will be additional.
