“If you own a soft-story building, it may be advantageous for you to take voluntary measures that will save you a considerable amount of money in the end. Owners of pre-1973 soft story buildings can sign up for voluntary retrofitting and get their building permit expedited and fees waived. Being pro-active may also help you to be exempt from future stricter standards.”
http://blog.863katy.com/2011/05/soft-story-retrofit-now-mandatory/