More Than 400 Repairs Needed in Berkeley Following Deadly Balcony Collapse
Six people were killed and seven others were injured June 16 when a balcony broke off a downtown Berkeley apartment building during a 21st birthday celebration.
By Lisa Fernandez and Stephanie Chuang ••
A tragedy sparking change: Since the deadly balcony collapse in Berkeley, the city says more than 400 buildings are in need of fixes. Stephanie Chuang reports.
Inspections performed in the wake of last summer's deadly balcony collapse near the University of California, Berkeley revealed more than 400 buildings with balconies, stairways, decks and landings in need of repair, according to a city report released Wednesday afternoon.
Wednesday's report notes that Berkeley wanted to respond "swiftly following the tragic collapse of the 4th floor balcony" at 2020 Kittredge Street, known as the Library Gardens apartments, and develop code amendments to "reduce the likelihood that a catastrophic collapse" could occur again.
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Two women sit in front of an apartment building where a balcony collapsed near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A section of collapsed balcony remains on the front of an apartment building new UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A coroner vehicle sits parked at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A section of collapsed balcony remains on the front of an apartment building new UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A section of collapsed balcony remains on the front of an apartment building new UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Debris from a balcony collapse remains on the sidewalk in front of an apartment building new UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Police remain at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Bottles are seen inside an apartment where a balcony collpsed at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A resident talks with reporters at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Police remain at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Image: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A resident talks with reporters at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Two women sit in front of an apartment building where a balcony collapsed near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Police remain at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Flowers sit on the ground at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A woman drops off flowers at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 5 people were killed and 8 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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A view of the street after a fourth floor balcony collapsed at the Library Gardens apartment complex in Berkeley, Calif., early Tuesday, June 16, 2015.
AP
A fourth floor balcony rests on the balcony below after collapsing at the Library Gardens apartment complex in Berkeley, Calif., early Tuesday, June 16, 2015.
NBC Bay Area
A fourth-floor apartment building balcony collapsed onto the sidewalk just blocks from the University of California, Berkeley campus early Tuesday, killing five people and leaving eight others injured, some critically, police said. June 16, 2015.
NBC Bay Area
A fourth-floor apartment building balcony collapsed onto the sidewalk just blocks from the University of California, Berkeley campus early Tuesday, June 16, 2015.
NBC Bay Area
Police tape marks the back of Library Gardens Apartments at 2020 Kitteredge Street where 5 people were killed and 8 injured after a balcony collapsed, police said.
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A map of Ireland sits in a memorial of flowers at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 6 people were killed and 7 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Flowers sit on the ground at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 6 people were killed and 7 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: A well wisher leaves a flag on a memorial at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 6 people were killed and 7 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Emma Nicholson (L) and Gemma Parsons stand next to a memorial of flowers at the scene of a balcony collapse at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 6 people were killed and 7 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
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BERKELEY, CA - JUNE 16: Workers inspect a balcony that collapsed at an apartment building near UC Berkeley on June 16, 2015 in Berkeley, California. 6 people were killed and 7 were seriously injured when a balcony collapsed at an apartment building near the University of California at Berkeley campus. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
NBC Bay Area
Crews take down a second balcony at 2020 Kittredge Street in Berkeley after another one collapsed and killed six students. June 17, 2015
NBC Bay Area
Crews take down a second balcony at 2020 Kittredge Street in Berkeley after another one collapsed and killed six students. June 17, 2015
NBC Bay Area
Hundreds attend a vigil late Wednesday for six people killed in a balcony collapse in Berkeley. (June 17, 2015)
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Hundreds gather for candlelight vigil in Berkley to remember the 6 people who died in yesterday's balcony collapse. #nbcbayarea #berkley
Problems ran the gamut from minor water intrusion to major leaks, according to the report. The city had 2,200 such buildings with "weather-exposed elements," and inspectors found that 402 needed fixes. The story was first reported by Berkleyside.
Property owners were given 90 days to make the fixes and city spokesman Matthai Chakko said "most" had been completed.
The city council in July required the inspection of all weather-exposed exterior elements in properties with at least three units and ordered that subsequent inspections take place every three years.
Berkeley also stiffened requirements for building materials and venting in order to make inspections easier to conduct and improve airflow to elements that could be impacted by water damage and other problems.
City staff sent out nearly 6,090 letters to property owners of multi-family buildings to inform them of the new inspection rules. The city received responses to about 4,400, or 72 percent of the letters that were sent, the report notes.
The Alameda County district attorney launched a criminal investigation last year into the cause of the balcony collapse. The DA’s office has not released any information about the probe since its initial announcement in June.
Teresa Drenick, spokeswoman for the office, confirmed Wednesday to Berkeleyside that the investigation is ongoing.
