Yes - retro-fitting is also a good idea - Kerry Seih mentioned that if every year, just 1% of buildings got retrofitted, in 100 years we'd be safe from earthquakes.

If its multi-family dwellings that are most at risk and not being retrofitted - that's because the landlords aren't at risk directly and would rather spend the money elsewhere. In this case, it would probably require legislation to retrofit. I doubt its due to a lack of money, just a lack of priorities (I'm a landlord so I know both sides of the coin).

I'm asking the question - when they rebuild in mexico, are they just going to build the same thing again or will they learn? They seem (note the word seem...) to have more large quakes than we do.

Canie