Earthquake Preparedness for Renters: A Complete Guide to Staying Safe in Your Apartment

Key Takeaways

• Renters face unique earthquake challenges — you can't retrofit your building, but you can take dozens of effective steps to protect yourself and your belongings.
• Know your building's vulnerabilities — soft-story construction, age, and building material all affect your risk. Ask your landlord direct questions about seismic upgrades.
• Secure your space without permanent modifications — furniture anchors, museum putty, and freestanding shelving solutions require no drilling or landlord approval.
• Renter's earthquake insurance is separate from standard renter's insurance — standard policies do not cover earthquake damage. Expect to pay $100–$300/year in moderate-risk areas, more in high-seismic zones.
• Your evacuation plan matters more in apartments — multiple floors, shared stairwells, and building-specific hazards mean you need a plan tailored to your unit's location.
• A 72-hour emergency kit is non-negotiable — FEMA recommends every household maintain supplies for at least three days of self-sufficiency.

Introduction: Why Renters Need a Different Approach

If you rent an apartment or house in earthquake country, you've probably heard the standard preparedness advice: bolt your water heater, reinforce your foundation, retrofit your cripple walls. The problem? Most of that advice is written for homeowners. As a renter, you can't tear open walls, pour new foundation bolts, or commission a structural engineer to redesign your building's lateral force resistance.

But that doesn't mean you're powerless. Renters can take meaningful, effective steps to reduce earthquake risk — and in many ways, your preparedness matters even more because you have less control over the structural envelope around you.

This guide covers everything renters specifically need to know: what you can control, what your landlord is responsible for, how to evaluate your building's earthquake vulnerability, and how to protect yourself, your family, and your belongings.

Understanding Your Building: What Renters Need to Know

Building Age and Seismic Codes

The single biggest factor in how your apartment will perform during an earthquake is when it was built and to what code. Seismic building codes have improved dramatically over the decades, and there are clear generational divides in construction quality.

You can typically find when your building was constructed through your county assessor's website, your lease documents, or by simply asking your landlord or property manager.

Soft-Story Buildings: The Renter's Biggest Structural Risk

Soft-story buildings are the most common high-risk apartment type in earthquake-prone areas. These are multi-story buildings (usually 2–4 stories) where the ground floor is significantly weaker than the floors above — typically because the ground floor has large openings for parking garages, storefronts, or wide window spans, while upper floors have solid walls.

During an earthquake, the weak ground floor can collapse while upper stories remain relatively intact, a phenomenon called "pancaking." The 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake both caused multiple soft-story building collapses, killing dozens of residents.

How to identify a soft-story building:

• Ground floor is open parking (tuck-under parking) with apartments above
• Ground floor has large commercial storefronts with residential units above
• Ground floor has significantly fewer walls than upper floors
• Building is wood-frame construction, 2+ stories, built before approximately 1980

Several cities have mandatory soft-story retrofit programs. San Francisco's Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program, established by San Francisco's Department of Building Inspection, required owners of wood-frame soft-story buildings to complete seismic retrofits. Los Angeles passed a similar ordinance in 2015 covering approximately 13,500 buildings.

What to ask your landlord:

1. Has this building been seismically retrofitted?
2. Is this building on the city's soft-story inventory list?
3. What year was the building constructed?
4. What type of foundation does the building have?

If your landlord can't or won't answer these questions, check your city's building department records. Many cities publish their soft-story building inventories online.

Learn more about soft-story buildings and retrofit requirements

Upper Floor vs. Lower Floor: Where Should You Worry?

There's a common question among apartment renters: is it safer to be on a higher or lower floor during an earthquake? The answer is nuanced.

Lower floors experience less shaking amplitude (the building sways more at the top) but face greater risk in a structural collapse, where lower floors bear the compressive load of everything above them. In a soft-story collapse, ground-floor units are the most dangerous.

Upper floors experience more intense shaking and greater displacement (the building swings further at the top), which means more falling objects and furniture movement. However, in a pancake-style collapse, upper floors may remain more intact.

For most modern, code-compliant apartment buildings, the difference is minimal because the structure is designed to resist collapse regardless of the floor. Your preparedness actions matter far more than which floor you're on.

What Renters CAN Do: Securing Your Living Space

The good news is that many of the most effective earthquake safety measures require no structural modifications at all. FEMA and the American Red Cross recommend the following steps for every household, and nearly all of them are renter-friendly.

Securing Furniture and Heavy Objects

Unsecured furniture is the leading cause of earthquake injuries inside buildings. During the 1994 Northridge earthquake, falling objects and overturning furniture caused the majority of non-fatal injuries, according to USGS post-earthquake studies.

Museum putty and quake gel are particularly useful for renters. These removable adhesives keep items like vases, picture frames, electronics, and collectibles from sliding off shelves during shaking. They leave no residue and require no hardware.

Furniture straps typically require two small screws into a wall stud. These create small holes that are easily patched with spackle when you move out — well within normal wear and tear in most lease agreements. The safety benefit far outweighs any cosmetic concern.

Compare the best furniture straps and anchoring products

Arranging Your Space for Safety

Beyond securing individual items, how you arrange your apartment matters:

• Don't hang heavy objects over beds or couches. Move heavy mirrors, shelving, or artwork away from where people sleep or sit.
• Place heavy items on lower shelves. Books, tools, and heavy objects should live on bottom shelves, not upper ones.
• Keep exits clear. Don't store items in front of doors, in hallways, or blocking your path to exits.
• Identify safe spots in each room. Under a sturdy desk or table, away from windows and tall furniture — know where you'll go in each room.
• Store shoes and a flashlight near your bed. After an earthquake, broken glass and debris make bare feet dangerous. Keep shoes you can slip on quickly and a flashlight within arm's reach.

Building Your Earthquake Emergency Kit

FEMA recommends every household maintain supplies for a minimum of 72 hours (three days) of self-sufficiency. In a major earthquake, emergency services may be overwhelmed, roads impassable, and utilities disrupted for days or weeks.

For apartment renters, storage space is often limited. Here's a prioritized kit that balances thoroughness with the reality of apartment living.

Essential 72-Hour Kit for Renters

Storage tip for apartments: Use a single large backpack or duffel bag stored near your front door or in your bedroom closet. If you need to evacuate quickly, you grab one bag and go. Don't spread kit items throughout your apartment.

See our reviews of pre-made earthquake emergency kits

Car Kit (If You Have a Vehicle)

If you commute by car, keep a smaller earthquake kit in your trunk: water bottles, energy bars, a flashlight, a first aid kit, comfortable walking shoes, and a blanket. You may need to walk home if roads are impassable.

Apartment Evacuation Planning

Know Your Building's Exits

Most apartment buildings have multiple exit routes, but in an earthquake, some may be blocked. Walk every exit route in your building at least once:

• Primary stairwells — Where are they? Do fire doors auto-close?
• Secondary exits — Back stairs, ground-floor windows, balcony access?
• Elevator — Never use elevators during or after an earthquake. They may be stuck, misaligned, or have damaged shafts.
• Parking garage — If your building has underground parking, know alternate exits from the garage level.

Establish a Meeting Point

Choose two meeting points:

1. Immediately outside your building — a specific spot (not just "outside") where household members gather after evacuating
2. A secondary location outside your neighborhood — in case the area around your building is unsafe

Make sure everyone in your household knows both locations and has emergency contact numbers memorized or written down (phones may be dead).

Communicate with Neighbors

In an apartment building, your neighbors are your first responders. Consider:

• Introducing yourself to immediate neighbors and exchanging phone numbers
• Identifying anyone who may need extra help evacuating (elderly residents, people with disabilities, families with young children)
• Knowing if any neighbors have medical training

FEMA's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program trains civilians in basic disaster response. Many programs are free and meet for 20 hours over several weeks. Check FEMA's CERT program page for training near you.

Landlord vs. Tenant Responsibilities

Understanding who is responsible for what is critical — both for your safety and your legal rights.

What Your Landlord Is Responsible For

Landlords are generally responsible for maintaining the structural safety and habitability of rental properties. This includes:

• Building structural integrity — Maintaining the building to meet applicable codes
• Seismic retrofit compliance — If local ordinances require retrofitting (as in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, and others), the landlord must comply
• Water heater strapping — In California, state law (Health and Safety Code Section 19211) requires water heaters to be braced, bolted, or strapped, and this is the property owner's responsibility
• Gas shut-off valves — Maintaining functional gas shut-off mechanisms
• Smoke and CO detectors — Maintaining working detection systems
• Exit routes — Keeping stairwells, hallways, and fire exits clear and functional

What Tenants Are Responsible For

• Securing your personal belongings and furniture
• Maintaining your own emergency supplies
• Knowing evacuation routes
• Purchasing renter's insurance (and earthquake insurance if desired)
• Reporting building damage or safety concerns to your landlord promptly
• Not blocking exits with personal items

If Your Landlord Isn't Complying

If you believe your building has serious structural safety issues or your landlord isn't complying with local seismic retrofit ordinances:

1. Document the issue in writing (email creates a paper trail)
2. Contact your local building department or code enforcement
3. Consult your local tenant rights organization
4. In some jurisdictions, serious habitability issues may allow you to withhold rent or "repair and deduct" — but consult a local tenant attorney before taking such steps

Renter's Earthquake Insurance

Here's a fact that surprises many renters: standard renter's insurance does not cover earthquake damage. If an earthquake destroys your belongings, damages your unit, or forces you to relocate, your regular renter's policy will likely pay nothing.

What Earthquake Insurance Covers for Renters

• Personal property damage — Replacement cost for belongings damaged or destroyed by earthquake shaking
• Additional living expenses (ALE) — Costs of temporary housing, meals, and other expenses if your unit is uninhabitable
• Loss of use — Coverage for the period your apartment is being repaired

What It Typically Costs

Earthquake insurance costs for renters vary significantly based on location, building construction, and coverage limits.

In California, the California Earthquake Authority (CEA) offers renter's earthquake insurance starting at around $100–$200 per year for basic coverage with a 5% deductible. Policies are available through participating insurance carriers. Visit California Earthquake Authority for quotes.

Outside California, earthquake insurance is typically available as an endorsement through your existing renter's insurance provider or through specialty insurers.

Is It Worth It?

Consider earthquake insurance if:

• You live in a high-seismic-risk area (California, Pacific Northwest, parts of the Midwest along the New Madrid Seismic Zone, parts of Alaska, Hawaii, Utah, or Nevada)
• Your belongings would cost more than $5,000–$10,000 to replace
• You couldn't afford temporary housing costs out of pocket for 1–6 months
• Your building is older or has known seismic vulnerabilities

Detailed guide to earthquake insurance options for renters

During the Earthquake: What to Do in Your Apartment

When shaking starts, your response should be immediate and practiced.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On

This is the single most important protective action, endorsed by FEMA, the American Red Cross, USGS, and every major emergency management agency:

1. DROP to your hands and knees immediately. This prevents falling.
2. COVER your head and neck under a sturdy desk or table. If no table is available, crouch against an interior wall and cover your head with your arms.
3. HOLD ON to your shelter and be prepared to move with it. Shaking can shift furniture.

Do NOT:

• Run outside during shaking — falling debris from building facades is extremely dangerous
• Stand in a doorway — this is outdated advice; modern doorframes are no stronger than any other part of the structure
• Try to get to another room — drop where you are
• Use elevators

Apartment-Specific Considerations During Shaking

• If you're in bed, stay there. Roll face-down, cover your head with a pillow, and hold on. Don't try to run to a doorway or another room.
• If you're in the kitchen, move away from the refrigerator, stove, and overhead cabinets. Drop, cover, and hold on under the kitchen table if available.
• If you're in the bathroom, be aware of mirrors, medicine cabinets, and glass shower doors. Cover your head.
• Stay away from windows. Glass is one of the most common causes of earthquake injury.

After the Earthquake: Apartment-Specific Steps

Once shaking stops:

1. Check yourself for injuries. Address any serious bleeding before doing anything else.
2. Put on sturdy shoes. Broken glass and debris will be everywhere.
3. Check your unit for hazards. Look for gas leaks (smell), water leaks, electrical sparks, and structural damage (cracks in walls, sagging ceilings, jammed doors).
4. If you smell gas, leave immediately. Don't flip light switches or use electronics. Open windows as you exit. Call 911 and your gas company from outside.
5. Check on neighbors, especially elderly residents, people with disabilities, or families with children.
6. Do not re-enter a damaged building. If you see major structural damage — large cracks, leaning walls, buckled floors — stay out until it's been inspected.
7. Document damage with photos. Before cleaning up, photograph everything for insurance claims.
8. Contact your landlord. Report all damage, even seemingly minor damage. Some structural issues aren't visible from inside the unit.
9. Listen to emergency broadcasts. Use your battery-powered radio. Follow official instructions about evacuations, utility shutoffs, and shelter locations.

Aftershocks

Aftershocks can occur minutes, hours, days, or even weeks after the main earthquake. Some aftershocks can be nearly as strong as the main event. Continue to practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On with each aftershock. Be aware that aftershocks can cause additional damage to already-weakened structures — if your building sustained damage in the main earthquake, it may be more vulnerable to aftershocks.

Renter's Earthquake Preparedness Checklist

Use this checklist to track your preparedness progress:

Sources

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "Earthquake Safety at Home." Ready.gov Earthquake Page
• American Red Cross. "Earthquake Safety." Red Cross Earthquake Safety
• California Earthquake Authority. "Renters Earthquake Insurance." CEA Renters Insurance
• United States Geological Survey (USGS). "Earthquake Hazards Program." USGS Earthquake Hazards
• San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. "Mandatory Soft Story Retrofit Program." SF Soft Story Program
• California Health and Safety Code Section 19211 — Water Heater Bracing Requirements
• FEMA. "Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT)." FEMA CERT
• ShakeOut. "The Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drills." ShakeOut.org