Los Angeles Is Gearing Up to Ban Wood-Frame Construction. Renters Will Soon Pay the Price.

pacific research institute ^ | 19 Nov 2021 | M. NOLAN GRAY

[DUMBGRUNT]

Over the summer, the Los Angeles City Council Public Safety Committee approved a proposal to expand Fire District 1, an anachronistic planning overlay that would effectively ban wood-frame construction in much of the city. Superficially premised as a measure to improve fire safety, the motion has been heavily promoted by special interests in the concrete industry, who would heavily benefit from the prohibition. Yet as less partial observers have pointed out, the motion would significantly increase the cost of constructing housing in Los Angeles, to no clear fire safety benefit.

According to a report by the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, expanding Fire District 1 would raise building materials costs by anywhere from 10.6 to 47.1 percent.

Few would doubt the need for robust fire safety or strict building standards. But the reality is that expanding Fire District 1 improves upon neither.

[DUMBGRUNT]

—”All corners are made with poured concrete post and additional post are place around 10-12 feet apart on the outer walls “

I have been to the Philippines, very lush and pretty.

Around here they place rebar at the corners and windows ... and fill the block with concrete/mortar. Also, a stiff wire triangle mesh horizontally every few courses. (Durawall)

I’m thinking your house is termite-proof? Unlike most wood construction?

I had some friends in PI took a sightseeing tour on a tuk-tuk(?) Getting warm they stopped for a cold one...then hot so they stopped for another...
Hungary they ask for local food, their driver took them to a truck stop(?) along the road.
They said it was like a BBQ and smelled great.
They selected whatever the guy in front of them ordered.
They thought it was frog legs?

One, enjoying his “frog legs” down to the end noticed FUR!!!

Clearly not frog legs?
None of them died or got sick, hangover perhaps.

Everyone says rat legs?

[Data Miner]

I thought these folks were worried about global climate change. Don’t they know that concrete production isn’t jus expensive but also produces lots of CO2? Wood construction is much more environmentally friendly and acts as a CO2 sink?

[usnavy_cop_retired]

The process here is rebar horizontal every 2nd layer. Vertical rebar set so that every CHB gets at least one rebar. Concrete post and beams have a rebar cage inside with rebar set so that a rebar is protruding to attach to the horizontal rebars as the CHB’s are laid.

Roofing is normally galvanized steel. On the cheaper homes it’s the corrugated style but on the middle to upper level homes it’s stamped galvanized steel, with a tile roof pattern and painted on the exposed side. Trusses and rafters are steel “L” shape steel. That is fairly new for homes here. My first house the trusses and rafters were done using a hard wood, Ipil, which is highly termite resistant. Use of Ipil is now illegal which is why builders are using steel now.

Roadside food vendors and small travelers restaurants are how many people eat when not home. There are some “exotic” dishes available but must are just local dishes of fish, chicken or pork.

[Blue Collar Christian]

True dat.