Burbank Soft-Story Retrofit: September 30 Grant Deadline & 2027 Plan Deadline
Burbank's earthquake multi-unit retrofit grant offers eligible 5–10 unit apartment owners up to $49,600 per building. Registration closes September 30, 2026, while engineered plans are due January 11, 2027 for buildings subject to the ordinance.
Quick answer: two different deadlines matter
Burbank's official Soft-Story Seismic Retrofit page says registration for its Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit Grant Program runs August 19 through September 30, 2026. The grant is for eligible 5–10 unit apartment buildings subject to Burbank's Soft-Story Retrofit Ordinance, with up to $49,600 per building and up to 70% of eligible retrofit costs. Funding is limited.
Separately, the City's ordinance compliance timeline says engineered retrofit plans for buildings subject to the ordinance must be submitted to Building & Safety by January 11, 2027. The grant-registration deadline and the ordinance plan deadline are not the same thing, so owners should track both if their building is eligible for the grant and subject to the ordinance.
Who the current grant announcement covers
The City's current grant notice identifies 5–10 unit apartment buildings that are subject to Burbank's Soft-Story Retrofit Ordinance as the eligible building category. Owners should use the City's eligibility and application links rather than assuming that every multifamily property qualifies for the grant.
The underlying retrofit ordinance can apply more broadly than this particular grant category. The City describes affected buildings as certain older multifamily structures with tuck-under parking or weak-front first-story conditions. A property owner should confirm the building's actual ordinance status and any notice issued by the City before relying on a general description.
What the grant can cover
Burbank states that eligible owners may receive up to $49,600 per building, capped at up to 70% of eligible retrofit costs. Because funding is limited, an owner should not budget as though an award is guaranteed merely because the building appears to fit the size and ordinance criteria.
Use the California Residential Mitigation Program application path linked by the City to check eligibility, application requirements and the expenses that qualify. Preserve the application confirmation and any award documentation separately from the building's ordinance-compliance file.
The 2027 deadline: engineered plans by January 11
Burbank's current compliance road map lists January 11, 2027 as the deadline to submit engineered plans. It then lists January 10, 2028 for plan approval, January 10, 2029 for obtaining the permit and beginning construction, and January 10, 2030 for completing construction and finalizing the permit.
Those later dates do not extend the January 11, 2027 plan-submittal milestone. Owners should confirm the current City record for their building and work with qualified professionals early enough to meet the applicable deadline rather than treating the final 2030 completion date as the only date that matters.
A separate permit-fee incentive remains relevant
The City's page says the 100% permit-fee refund deadline was July 10, 2026 and has passed. It also lists a 50% building permit-fee refund incentive for owners who fully comply by January 10, 2028.
That permit-fee incentive is distinct from the Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit Grant. Do not add the two dollar amounts together as though they are one guaranteed benefit; verify current eligibility and the City's definition of full compliance for the incentive before relying on it.
What property managers should document
Keep the City's Notice of Order or other property-specific correspondence, the screening and engineering records, grant application documents, professional contracts, plan-submittal confirmation, permits, inspection records and resident communications in one compliance file. If construction will affect access, parking, utilities or habitability, document the actual schedule and use the notice process required by current law and the lease.
Do not invent a resident relocation obligation, rent adjustment or entry rule from the retrofit ordinance alone. Separate seismic-building requirements from landlord-tenant requirements and verify any consequential resident notice or relocation issue from the controlling California and Burbank sources.
Why this is a San Fernando Valley multifamily issue to watch now
Burbank is an incorporated city with its own building-compliance process, so this deadline should not be generalized to Los Angeles neighborhoods such as North Hollywood or Van Nuys. The local jurisdiction materially changes the answer.
For Burbank owners, the immediate action is to verify grant eligibility before September 30, 2026 and confirm the building's January 11, 2027 plan deadline. For other Valley properties, use the applicable city or county source rather than copying Burbank's timeline.
Common questions
When does registration close for Burbank's soft-story retrofit grant?
The City of Burbank lists September 30, 2026 as the registration deadline for the current Earthquake Multi-Unit Retrofit Grant Program. Funding is limited.
How much is the Burbank earthquake multi-unit retrofit grant?
The City says eligible 5–10 unit apartment buildings may qualify for up to $49,600 per building and up to 70% of eligible retrofit costs, subject to program eligibility and limited funding.
When are Burbank soft-story engineered plans due?
Burbank's current compliance timeline lists January 11, 2027 as the deadline to submit engineered retrofit plans for buildings subject to the ordinance.
Is the September 30 grant deadline the same as the retrofit compliance deadline?
No. September 30, 2026 is the current grant-registration deadline. The ordinance has separate compliance milestones, including the January 11, 2027 engineered-plan deadline.
Official sources
City of Burbank — Soft-Story Seismic RetrofitCalifornia Residential Mitigation Program — Earthquake Multi-Unit RetrofitContinue your check
Use the state directory for current jurisdiction-specific rules, calculate the proposed increase, then prepare the appropriate rental document only after the legal-rule checks are complete.