Valley Quake Repair

Four years after the Northridge earthquake shuddered across the San Fernando Valley, repairs continue to homes, shops and commercial buildings. On average, a little more than 70% of the work has been completed across the Valley, according to a computer analysis of city building permits. Building officials say the figure may be even higher, since there is a backlog in completing inspections in some parts of the Valley.

In general those areas closest to the earthquake’s epicenter have moved most quickly to fix the damage, while those further away have lagged, the analysis shows. Property owners in the most heavily damaged areas were forced to repair problems quickly since the destruction posed a threat to inhabitants, say Los Angeles City Building and Safety officials. Meanwhile, homeowners with only slight damage in areas farther from the epicenter sometimes didn’t bother to fix up their properties. “They had cracks in the plaster or chipped paint and they didn’t go out to repair it,” said Walter Krukow, chief of the bureau of resource management. “They got the insurance money and went on a trip or did their own thing.” Still another problem: Some property owners who suffered significant damage haven’t been able to do repairs because of money trouble or court battles with insurance companies.

Shown below is a rundown by zip code of earthquake repairs and the number of permits signed off by building inspectors as having work completed. The permits include all earthquake-related work on single family dwellings, businesses and government buildings.

Valley Totals:

* Number of permits for earthquake-related damage: 57,095

* Number complete: 40,298

* Percentage: 70.6%

Percent of Permits for Work Completed:

40.0 to 49.9

50.0 to 59.9

60.0 to 69.9

70.0 to 79.9

80.0 to 89.9

90.0 to 100

* 91040

Work completed: 59

Total permits: 147

Percent Done: 40.1

* 91042

Work completed: 53

Total permits: 109

Percent Done: 48.6

* 91214

Work completed: 0

Total permits: 2

Percent Done: 0.0

* 91302

Work completed: 52

Total permits: 55

Percent Done: 94.5

* 91303

Work completed: 512

Total permits: 691

Percent Done: 74.1

* 91304

Work completed: 794

Total permits: 1,138

Percent Done: 69.8

* 91306

Work completed: 1,180

Total permits: 1,637

Percent Done: 72.1

* 91307

Work completed: 742

Total permits: 978

Percent Done: 75.9

* 91311

Work completed: 3,502

Total permits: 4,738

Percent Done: 73.9

* 91316

Work completed: 419

Total permits: 704

Percent Done: 59.5

* 91324

Work completed: 2,316

Total permits: 2,917

Percent Done: 79.4

* 91325

Work completed: 3,016

Total permits: 3,662

Percent Done: 82.4

* 91326

Work completed: 2,778

Total permits: 3,547

Percent Done: 78.3

* 91330

Work completed: 82

Total permits: 107

Percent Done: 76.6

* 91331

Work completed: 587

Total permits: 921

Percent Done: 63.7

* 91335

Work completed: 2,320

Total permits: 2,983

Percent Done: 77.8

* 91340

Work completed: 99

Total permits: 143

Percent Done: 69.2

* 91342

Work completed: 1,306

Total permits: 1,790

Percent Done: 73

* 91343

Work completed: 2,696

Total permits: 3,387

Percent Done: 79.6

* 91344

Work completed: 4,198

Total permits: 5,973

Percent Done: 70.3

* 91345

Work completed: 668

Total permits: 900

Percent Done: 74.2

* 91352

Work completed: 131

Total permits: 267

Percent Done: 49.1

* 91356

Work completed: 1,135

Total permits: 1,722

Percent Done: 65.9

* 91364

Work completed: 1,008

Total permits: 2,131

Percent Done: 47.3

* 91367

Work completed: 2,403

Total permits: 3,299

Percent Done: 72.8

* 91401

Work completed: 448

Total permits: 792

Percent Done: 56.6

* 91402

Work completed: 190

Total permits: 313

Percent Done: 60.7

* 91403

Work completed: 1,186

Total permits: 1,753

Percent Done: 67.7

* 91405

Work completed: 357

Total permits: 620

Percent Done: 57.6

* 91406

Work completed: 1,240

Total permits: 1,708

Percent Done: 72.6

* 91411

Work completed: 350

Total permits: 644

Percent Done: 54.3

* 91423

Work completed: 1,781

Total permits: 2,529

Percent Done: 70.4

* 91436

Work completed: 316

Total permits: 693

Percent Done: 45.6

* 91504

Work completed: 1

Total permits: 2

Percent Done: 50

* 91601

Work completed: 265

Total permits: 508

Percent Done: 52.2

* 91506

Work completed: 1

Total permits: 2

Percent Done: 50

* 91602

Work completed: 188

Total permits: 425

Percent Done: 44.2

* 91604

Work completed: 1,126

Total permits: 1,741

Percent Done: 64.7

* 91605

Work completed: 277

Total permits: 564

Percent Done: 49.1

* 91606

Work completed: 217

Total permits: 338

Percent Done: 64.2

# 91607

Work completed: 410

Total permits: 642

Percent Done: 63.9

Source: Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety; Statistics compiled by T. Christian Miller; Research by T. Christian Miller