Build with Strength, a coalition of the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association comprised of fire service professionals, architects, engineers and industry experts committed to enacting safer and more sustainable building standards in cities across the country such as Los Angeles, is pleased to welcome the Southern California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as a new coalition member. The chamber joins a growing alliance in Los Angeles that is committed to working with the city council to improve building and fire safety standards for developments throughout the city, particularly for low-income and minority residents.
“The Southern California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is committed to the safety and well-being of our region’s Hispanic residents,” says Teresa Barahona, the chamber’s president. “We especially need to be mindful of our most vulnerable residents and the safety of the housing in which they reside. Given the risk of fires and earthquakes in Los Angeles, it is critical that our residents live in durable, sustainable structures that won’t pose a serious risk to their safety.”
Amid the increasing prevalence of fires in recent years that have affected housing developments across the country, including the Da Vinci apartment complex in Los Angeles, Build with Strength is working with government officials, firefighters, faith-based organizations and building trades union leaders across the country to address potential causes of these fires relating to building safety standards. In reviewing current building and fire safety codes, the coalition is working to identify areas in need of improvement, particularly in updating building codes by including the use of non-combustible materials to minimize the risk of fires.
As the nation’s urban centers continue to grow and demand for housing increases, Build with Strength is working to ensure the safety of new buildings, particularly those intended for communities at risk such as low- and moderate-income residents.
“Build with Strength stands ready to work with local officials and community organizations like the Southern California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to encourage more resilient construction in the city’s residential communities,” says Kevin Lawlor, a spokesperson for Build with Strength. “We are pleased to have the chamber as a partner in our effort to address and improve the city’s building codes and ensure safer and more sustainable housing moving forward.”
Learn more at www.buildwithstrength.com.
