Title
Receive annual update on the status of compliance with the Structural Performance Category ratings of the buildings on the Natividad Medical Center campus, and on the services provided in each building, as required by Assembly Bill (AB) 1882 (Chapter 584), Statutes of 2022 until compliance with the seismic safety standards outlined in the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983 is achieved.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
Receive annual update on the status of compliance with the Structural Performance Category ratings of the buildings on the Natividad Medical Center campus, and on the services provided in each building, as required by Assembly Bill (AB) 1882 (Chapter 584), Statutes of 2022 until compliance with the seismic safety standards outlined in the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983 is achieved.
SUMMARY:
The Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act (HFSSA) of 1983 established statewide seismic safety standards for hospital facilities. Under the Act, owners of general acute care inpatient hospitals must, by January 1, 2030, either demolish, replace, or convert to non-acute care use any hospital buildings that are not in substantial compliance with HFSSA regulations, or seismically retrofit those buildings to achieve compliance.
DISCUSSION:
Assembly Bill 1882 (AB 1882) is intended to increase transparency and public awareness regarding a hospital’s compliance with HFSSA seismic safety standards. The bill requires public notification through on-site hospital postings, public notices, publication on the Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) website, and annual compliance status updates until compliance is achieved. Hospitals must also submit an annual report detailing each building’s Structural Performance Category (SPC), Nonstructural Performance Category (NPC), and the services provided in each building on the hospital campus.
Each general acute care hospital building is assigned an SPC rating that measures the anticipated seismic performance of its structural systems, including beams, columns, shear walls, slabs, and foundations. Hospitals must achieve an SPC rating of 3 or higher to meet structural compliance requirements. Buildings are also assigned an NPC rating that evaluates the anchorage and bracing of nonstructural elements, including architectural components, mechanical and electrical systems, medical equipment, and associated piping, ductwork, conduits, and machinery. Hospitals must achieve an NPC rating of 5 to meet nonstructural compliance requirements. AB 1882 further requires hospitals to notify patients and the public when a building does not meet both the SPC 3 and NPC 5 standards.
Natividad Medical Center (NMC) operates eight acute care buildings that are subject to SPC and NPC compliance requirements. Currently, seven of the eight buildings meet SPC standards; however, none meet NPC-5 requirements. NMC has worked closely with the architectural firm Hamelton Green and Abrams (HGA) and its engineering consultants and developed a Seismic Master Plan that will either bring these buildings into compliance or remove non-compliant facilities from HCAI jurisdiction prior to the 2030 deadline.
In addition, NMC has contracted with 19Six Architects to develop plans and specifications to address requirements identified in the Seismic Master Plan. Three proposals were submitted to coordinate the development of key improvements necessary to achieve NPC 5 compliance:
1. Bracing end-of-line fire sprinkler systems in acute care areas;
2. Separating Building 600A from Building 600B, including construction of a compliant corridor connection to Building 940; and
3. Upgrading campus infrastructure to support a minimum of 72 hours of emergency operations.
The required Services Report was submitted to HCAI on December 17, 2025, and the Hospital Signage Report was submitted on November 26, 2024. Staff will continue to provide annual updates on compliance progress. A detailed summary of each affected building’s SPC and NPC ratings, along with the services provided in each building, is included in the attached report.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
This report has been supported by the Finance Committee and NMC’s Board of Trustees on January 9, 2026
FINANCING:
A design fee of $200,000 was approved in Fiscal Year 2022-2023, followed by an allocation of $100,000 in FY 2024-2025 and an additional $2,450,000 in FY 2025-2026 in the Adopted Budget for the three projects identified above. Design and construction costs beyond these allocations will be funded in future fiscal-year budgets, with no impact on the General Fund.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
By complying with the Alfred E. Alquist Hospital Facilities Seismic Safety Act of 1983, Natividad Medical Center will be able to continue providing health care and improving the quality of life for Monterey County residents and their families.
X Economic Development
X Administration
X Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Brian Griffin, Project Manager. (831) 783-2605
Approved by: Dr. Charles R. Harris, Chief Executive Officer, (831) 783.2551
Attachments: Attachment A - Structural Performance Category and Services report
Attachment B - Facility Map - Public Notices